Oh, my Danish lord!
by Millie Bates
Summary: Lukas and his younger brother have to seek shelter in the woods during a storm and find a hidden castle where a cold lord rules. Will Lukas be the one to somehow melt his icy heart? (Reboot of the story by Hellel. She has given me permission to continue it.)
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

* * *

 _ **Hello! This is actually a reboot of a story by the user Hellel, who has left her fanfic in the dust. I messaged her and asked her if it would be alright if I picked it up and continued it. Luckily, she gave me permission.**_

 _ **I am reposting edited versions of her chapters. Her versions were done so long ago and contained many grammar and spelling errors. I took out quite a bit of purple prose, but each chapter is still essentially the same. After the first three chapters, I will actually be the one coming up with each chapter. (She only wrote three chapters)**_

 ** _If you would like to read the original (be warned, there really is a lot of grammar issues), you can look up Hellel on this site and read it._**

 ** _I've essentially kept a similar description and the same name._**

 ** _NOTE: As it reads much like a Harlequin, I will, most likely, write it like one. ALSO, there is no order to my updates. I will update AT LEAST once every two weeks._**

* * *

The rain had begun falling down in thick sheets as everything around them grew darker. Everywhere they turned looked the same as they walked through the thick forest. The day had grown so terrible. It was hard to believe that everything had begun so well earlier.

* * *

Close to the mountains in the north, there were two villages divided by a thick forest. Long ago, the citizens had made a main road that trailed around the forest and connected the two villages together.

In the first village lived Lukas and Alexander. The two were known as the "quiet brothers". They were very much unlike every other boy in their village simply because they preferred to be alone and were keen on minding their own business. They were rarely approached about their behavior, but people seemed to be cautious around them.

One day, their grandfather, who lived in the neighboring village, grew very ill. The boys both knew that it was only right that they made the journey to check on him.

One of the younger boys in their village had told Alexander that the easiest way to get to the next village was not to follow the main road, but to follow a smaller one that ran through the forest. Alexander decided to take the advice, wanting to reach his grandfather as soon as possible.

Lukas was skeptical, but as usual, he didn't tell his thoughts to his younger brother, who was now in the middle of packing. Besides, he trusted his brother and was willing to do anything to reach his grandfather before he could grow even more ill.

As soon as they could, they started for the forest. They traveled along the path for what seemed like a little over an hour, but something didn't feel quite right.

The sun had begun to sink beneath the trees and dark clouds covered the sky, but for some strange reason, Lukas was warmer than ever and could even feel himself sweating.

"How long should this journey be taking?" He wondered to himself. He was beginning to doubt his brother. Alexander suddenly stopped in his tracks and took out his pocket watch, checking the time.

"It shouldn't have taken this long."

Lukas could see that Alexander was growing more and more irritated as he looked at the watch. "We should have been there by now," he muttered.

Lukas looked up at his brother who, just like himself, had a worried expression.

Suddenly, they heard a rumble and looked up at the sky. It was nearly completely covered with dark clouds. Dusk was steadily approaching.

"We should continue walking! There should be a village not far from here," said Alexander as he continued walking with determined steps.

Lukas still looked worried and couldn't relieve himself of his feeling of doubt, but it was better to stay with his brother than to walk on by himself in another direction.

The rain began to fall rather quickly and soon they both were soaked to the bone.

The panic in Lukas' mind made him dizzy. He could still see his little brother with his red coat on in front of him, but everything else had begun to blur. He was afraid that he would slip on one of the wet stones on the path and fall, leaving him to scramble to stand again while Alexander marched on ahead, leaving him alone in the middle of the forest.

Thousands of bad thoughts ran through his head at the same time.

Suddenly, Alexander had stopped. Lukas bumped into him before he could ask him what had happened and why he was no longer moving. It seemed he didn't need to ask, though, because Alexander was pointing out to the dark distance.

"Over there! Can you see the light?"

"Light?"

Lukas spoke slowly and tried his best to concentrate on where his brother was pointing. Indeed there was a light. He also noticed that the light was moving by itself.

"Come, let's go to it! If there's a house, maybe we are on the right way!" Alexander said, hurrying away before his brother could reply.

Lukas pulled himself together as well as he could and hurried after.

"Excuse me!" Alexander shouted while running towards the figure holding the lantern. He was running as if he was afraid the person would turn away and disappear at any moment.

The man holding the lantern was a bit old with patches of grey hair, but still looked rather healthy and fit. He wore a long black coat that was completely drenched from the rain. His face showed a look of great surprise.

"Could you please tell me how to get to the nearest village?"

"I think we got a bit lost," Lukas added as he continued to gather his strength. His head was throbbing after the running. Was he going to catch a fever? He hoped not. It would only get worse with the rain pouring down on him.

"I am sorry, but you must have gone the wrong way. It's not far from here to the main road, but from there it will be quite a walk for you. I don't think it would be wise to let you boys continue in weather like this."

The old man began to think and it was clear that he was hesitant in his actions. Alexander looked up at Lukas, growing worried at his expression.

"Are you alright, brother? You look a bit ill."

"I just feel a bit dizzy, but it isn't that bad. Really."

Alexander put a hand up to his brothers forehead. "You are burning up! Why didn't you tell me about your fever?"

He had a fever? Now that Alexander mentioned it, he did feel warm and he did indeed have a headache.

"I think you two should come with me and stay the night. It's getting dark and you don't look too good. Now come along."

The man turned around and began walking, leaving Alexander and Lukas with no other option than to follow him.

With a sudden turn, they arrived at a forest clearing where a large iron gate stood proudly and guarded its road. A bit further up was a large castle.

"I am only a humble servant, you see. My master might seem cold and hard, but believe me when I say he has a heart of gold. I am sure he would let you two stay the night."

Lukas could barely believe his eyes. The castle was incredibly large. It looked as if it had been beautiful once upon a time, but now you could barely see the walls over the ivy now. He did his best to keep up, but all he wanted to do now was sit down. He would have sat on the ground if it meant his head would stop throbbing.

They walked into a grand hall with white marble pillars and red satin curtains hanging down to the floor. There were maids in the hallway already removing their wet coats for them and offering warm milk. The older man, who now appeared to be the butler, told the women in an easy but direct tone:

"They need to meet the master first. He would be furious if we let someone inside without his knowledge."

The maids nodded understandingly, bowed, and walked away.

The man led Alexander and Lukas up one of the elaborate staircases and turned right. He walked to the end of the corridor, suddenly stopping at the very last door to knock three times.

"Come in," said the determined voice of a man.

Alexander looked up at Lukas while the man opened the door. The brothers swallowed hard before following the butler in.

The room seemed to be a large study. On every single wall there was a bookshelf filled with more books than either of the boys had ever seen. There were plush chairs and large candelabras hanging from the ceiling. At the end of the large room, there was a desk that was covered in papers, scrolls, and books of all sorts. And finally, behind the desk was a moonlit window that reached from the ground to the ceiling.

Beside the window was a shadow.

As Lukas moved closer, he could see a man standing there. He looked young. Maybe a few years older that Lukas himself. Lukas thought he looked like a person who had been forced to become an adult too quickly.

The butler made signal for the boys to stop at the end of a carpet, while he himself walked closer to the working desk and bowed.

"Master Matthias, I am sorry for intruding on you while you're working, but I found these two boys in the forest and I had no other choice than to offer them a place under your roof for tonight."

The man pulled the curtains shut before turning to look at the man. "Do you enjoy treating me like a fool?" He shouted. "You have no say in who is allowed to enter my castle."

He took two steps away from the window to look at Lukas and Alexander. His face seemed cold and absent. He turned to the butler again.

"Show them the way out of here."

"But Sir! There is a storm outside and—"

"I DO NOT CARE!" He shouted as he hit his hand on the table so hard that his cup fell down and shattered. "I am very cross with you right now, Charles. We will discuss this when you have shown the boys the door."

Lukas hadn't noticed how long he had been holding onto Alexander's shoulders to keep himself from falling, but suddenly everything blurred and his legs quivered.

Alexander noticed there was something wrong and just as he turned to face his brother, he began to fall. Alexander was quick in catching him before he could hit the ground.

Matthias had noticed this and quickly looked away from his butler to see what was going on.

Both of the boys where sitting down, though Lukas was leaning against Alexander for support. Matthias simply frowned.

"What kind of act are you trying to pull?"

"Act? Can´t you see that he has fainted due to his fever?" Alexander blurted out, becoming irritated with Matthias.

"Master Matthias—"

"No, Charles. Let me see for myself if this is fake or not."

Alexander swallowed as the young master approached him and sat down on the other side of Lukas. "Show me his face," he said calmly.

Alexander did as he was told, but couldn't help but think it was strange that the man had calmed down so quickly.

Lukas was still unconscious, but his eyebrows were knit tightly together and he was frowning. His forehead was damp with sweat and his breath was quickening. Matthias hesitated a moment before sliding a hand from his forehead down to his cheek, cupping it.

Even though this person was ill and it seemed he was also just a boy from the village, there was something about him that struck Matthias and he couldn't look away. He thought for a moment, then blinked a few times before standing and stepping back.

Alexander was worried for his brother. He hadn't been this ill in years, especially not in such a strange place.

"Very well. Due to his condition, I'll let you two stay the night here. Charles, please make a room available for them."

Both the butler and Alexander smiled at Matthias' change of heart.

"Right away, master Matthias."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

* * *

 _ **A/N: In the original of this fic, I feel like there was some NorIce undertones. I would like to state that I am eliminating them. Thanks!**_

* * *

 _He was running towards the stairs. Even though he tried to run as fast as he could, time seemed to be moving slow and his feet felt heavy. He cried out, but couldn't make out the words. There was fire surrounding him, but that doesn't stop him from attempting once more to run up the stairs._

Lukas suddenly woke up. His breathing was ragged and the sweat was making his hair stick to his forehead. This room he was in was unfamiliar. He pulled off the covers and sat up, swinging his feet over the edge. The carpet was soft. There was a small table close to the bed, too, with a cup of water near the edge.

Lukas took the glass with a trembling hand and took a drink. The cool water felt good on his burning throat. He sat the glass back down, clutched the edge of the table, and stood up.

He took a few steps and looked around, examining the room, although the lighting was dim and his eyes strained to make out his surroundings. The curtains were open and the moonlight seeped into the room. He could hear the sound of pouring rain.

He turned once again to look at the room, eyes adjusting just slightly. The room was large and like the study, it contained many books. Closer to the window there seemed to be a sofa, but there was something else. Someone on it.

Lukas walked over cautiously, but to his relief, it was only Alexander. The boy was in deep sleep and looked completely relaxed for once. Lukas couldn't help but smile a bit at him.

There was no clock in his room, leaving Lukas with no clue what time it was. Because it was so dark outside, he figured sometime past midnight.

 _"What should I do now?"_ He thought. He didn't think he'd be able to fall asleep again, especially when he wasn't even sure where he was.

He turned around and walked over to the door. He stared at it for a second, hesitating before grabbing it and opening it, carefully enough to not wake his brother.

The corridor outside the door was long and rain-splattered windows covered the walls. Lukas stared out of the window, watching drops of water glide down in slow trickles.

Suddenly, he could hear quiet footsteps from the end of the corridor where the stairs met the second floor. The man who appeared stopped and looked out one of the windows.

Lukas couldn't tell who the man was, but there was something about him that made him almost uneasy. The man turned and began walking towards him, suddenly realizing that Lukas was standing there.

"I would have thought that my guests would be sleeping at this time of night," he said, continuing to move closer to him.

"I can't sleep if I don't know where I am," he said in an unsure tone. "Judging from the view, I'd say I'm in some sort of strange castle."

The man snorted a little. "I thought 'hidden' or 'frightening' would describe this castle better. But I suppose 'strange' is just as well.

Lukas looked up at him again, realizing suddenly who this man was.

"You are the lord of this castle," he said calmly.

Matthias looked at him with a slight smile. Lukas broke their eye contact and continued to stare out of the window again.

"Your brother thought you should have a bed to yourself. He seems to care a great deal for you," Matthias said. "When I offered a bed in another room, he refused, saying he wanted to stay with you."

Lukas couldn't help but smile faintly. Having Alexander here with him in such a strange place made him feel reassured.

A light suddenly appeared close to the staircase. It was a maid holding a tray with what looked like food and some sort of drink. "Young master, I have the food you wanted," she said in a monotone voice. Matthias turned and said, "Put that in my room." She bowed and walked off.

"Listen," Matthias said loudly, so that Lukas turned immediately to look at him. "You may have gotten my permission to stay overnight due to your condition, but mark my words, my hospitality will not be repeated."

He then walked back to his room, ushered the maid out, and slammed the door shut behind him.

The maid noticed Lukas and walked up to him. "Is everything alright, sir?" she asked politely.

He nodded hesitantly. There were so many things he couldn't understand about this place and, more particularly, the man who was over it.

"Very good, sir. Now, are you hungry? It is my instruction to prepare you a meal if you please."

Lukas looked over at her and nodded.

"Follow me, sir. We'll go down to the kitchen."

Lukas gave her a quizzical look. "A castle like this should have a dining hall, shouldn't it? Why not eat there?"

"That room is never used nowadays, sir," she said sadly, shaking her head. "Not since the young master was left here by himself."

Lukas was curious as to what she meant. The maid realized what she had said and looked almost ashamed at her outburst. "Excuse me, sir," she said, hurrying down the stairs.

Lukas watched, assuming that it would be best to no longer follow behind her. With nowhere else to go, he went back to his room. He took another drink from the glass of water and looked over at Alexander, who was still asleep.

He decided to climb back into the bed, figuring if he slept, time would pass much quicker than if he was awake.

* * *

Alexander was up early the next morning. He spotted the butler in the main hall and said, "I need to reach my grandfather today. I can't risk taking Lukas with me. He's still too ill and needs to rest."

Charles looked worried for a second, but it wasn't his place to tell Alexander what to do. "I see. Leave the way you came. Once you get to the road I found you on, go east until you reach the main road. Once you reach the main road, you should find your way easily if you simply follow the signs along the roadside."

Alexander nodded once and left, determined to come back for Lukas later in the evening.

* * *

Alexander had left the castle early in the morning and was moving quickly. He tried not to worry so much about Lukas, but he couldn't help his mind from wandering. Lukas had always had a bad immune system, too.

Alexander's goal was to make this journey as quickly as possible, though the storm from the previous night had done more damage than he had expected. The ground was slick with mud and some places were more marsh than land. But he didn't have a choice. He pushed through.

If he didn't push through, he supposed he could return to the castle and attempt to stay another night. As long as he didn't run into the lord again.

Luckily, Alexander saw a sign and realized he had reached the main road. He breathed a sigh of relief and continued walking.

* * *

Lukas woke up later that day around noon. His throat hurt worse than before, and his voice was raspy. He felt dizzy, but his head was no longer throbbing.

There was a light knocking on the door and Lukas jumped. He wasn't sure who it could be. If it was a maid, there was no reason to be concerned, but what would happen if it was Matthias?

To his relief, it was the head butler. The man read his expression and knew he'd been worried that he was actually his master, and he couldn't help but smile.

"I hope you are feeling better now, sir," he said, carrying a tray over to the bed.

"Only a bit," Lukas said with a hoarse voice. It stung to talk at all. The butler poured hot tea into a cup on the tray while Lukas did his best to sit up. Lukas looked down at the tray. There was a plate full of roasted potatoes and fish. He hadn't realized how hungry he was until he took a deep breath and smelled the food.

"Are you sure it's alright for me to eat in bed?"

Charles turned and nodded. "Of course, sir. Now, please drink your tea. It will help your throat." He handed the cup carefully over to Lukas, who sipped the warm tea silently, his throat feeling a little better almost immediately.

Charles walked through the room towards the windows to tie back the curtains, letting what little sun could poke through the clouds into the bedroom. He turned around slightly and looked at the sofa where Alexander had slept that night.

"Your brother left early this morning. He should be with his grandfather currently. He said he would be back as soon as he could."

Lukas looked down at his meal, his eyes narrowing. He didn't know how he felt about being left in the castle without Alexander.

"I'll leave you to your meal, sir," Charles said, leaving and shutting the door behind him.

* * *

Alexander finally reached the village his grandfather lived in. He was pleased to find that the place hadn't really changed since his last visit. He walked to his house quickly, knowing he'd already wasted too much time as is.

The house was a bit too large for such a tiny old man, but it had once housed his entire family. Alexander knocked on the door softly. After a minute, a woman answered the door. By the way she looked, Alexander assumed she was the nurse of his grandfather.

"You must be one of the grandchildren," she said.

"Ah, yes. Alexander."

He went inside the house, breathing in the nostalgic aroma he hadn't remembered until now. The place looked exactly the same. He walked through the hall to his grandfather's bedroom. After a deep sigh, he knocked on the door.

"Come in," a deep voice said. Alexander walked in, shutting the door quietly behind him. The old man was sitting up, reading a book. When he saw Alexander enter the room, he smiled a little and put the book down.

"My dear boy, it's such a surprise to see you here. Even more so to see you alone."

"Lukas grew ill last night. That's why I've made the trip alone. He should be recovering soon, though," he said.

"You must have begun walking very early today to be here now," the old man said, chuckling to himself. "And without your brother, too. I'm sure he's resting well at home."

"Not at home, really," Alexander replied.

"What? He´s not at home?"

"No. He began walking with me yesterday."

"Then what happened to him?" His grandfather asked.

"Well, you see, we had to stop for the night at a castle due to the storm. I left so early because I wanted to get back to Lukas as soon as possible. He's still there."

"Are you talking about the Kohler castle?" The old man had a serious look on his face now.

"I don't know the name of the castle. I never knew there was a place that existed so near!"

"That, my boy, is because that family is mad. Simply mad, I tell you! It is forbidden to go there!"

"Forbidden? But I have to go back for—"

"You will stay!" The old man bellowed, his gaze stern. Alexander stared at him. His grandfather had never used such a tone towards him before.

"Nurse! Bring yourself and the cook to me," he yelled. Immediately the nurse came back, followed by a heavy-looking man. "You are to keep him here. He is not allowed to leave this house until I say so."

The man and the woman hesitated before grabbing an arm each and holding poor Alexander, ready if he would try to run.

"What?! But grandfather, that place is not very dangerous at all! And Lukas is there by himself!"

"So it will be. No one is allowed to go there. This is what was decided by the Kohler family long ago. Maybe they will allow Lukas to go home. But it is said that while one night in the castle is dangerous, guests who stay any longer will be forced to stay forever."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

* * *

 _ **This is the first chapter that was actually written by me! This will be the case now. P.S. I commented on some of your reviews at the bottom!**_

* * *

Lukas anticipated the return of Alexander every minute. He stayed in his room the entire day, watching the door, hoping that at any moment his brother would return and they could leave this place.

Earlier Lukas had requested a clock be put in his room, and he thought it would help him, but the constant ticking and the reminder of so much time passing without the return of Alexander made him even more nervous. He paced the floor, afraid to look out the window. The sun was setting, he knew that much.

Evening was passing and Alexander hadn't returned.

When the sun set and the sky grew darker, his nerves got the best of him and he left the room, searching for Charles, or a maid, or anyone.

He found no one. But the stars were covering the sky now and his brother could be in the woods alone in the dark. What if he hadn't reached their grandfather? What if he had been wandering for hours now?

The thought pushed Lukas over the brim and he grabbed a heavy iron candelabra from a table, prepared to use it as a makeshift lantern if need be. He put on his cloak, still slightly damp from the rain, and pulled on the door.

It didn't budge.

He pulled harder, thinking the problem with it was the weight, but as hard as he pulled, the door wouldn't move. He now knew it had to be locked.

"Is there something you need, sir?"

Lukas turned to see Charles standing behind him. He was close, too. Close enough that Lukas could smell the smoke on him from the fire he'd been boiling tea on. He took a step back and gestured to the door.

"Yes. It is dark now and Alexander hasn't returned. I need to find him and make sure he's safe. The door is locked, is it not?"

The butler gave a curt nod, but didn't move from his spot. Lukas grew weary just watching him.

"Please. I need it unlocked."

The tension grew between the two. Charles set down the tray of tea he was holding and neatly placed his hands at his sides.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, sir."

Lukas couldn't believe what he was hearing. His mind raced back to his brother, potentially in danger, and he took a firm step forward. "I need to find my brother!" His voice shook as he spoke, fear settling.

He was still denied his request with a shake of the Butlers head and a small, "I cannot let you, sir."

Charles didn't sound like he wanted to deny the request, but he didn't sound like he wanted to accept it, either.

"Why won't you unlock the doors for me? Why can't I find my brother?"

"It is the young master's orders, sir," was the reply.

Lukas' mind drifted back to the previous night and the meeting with the lord of the castle. He had heard him called Matthias, he remembered. He also remembered the feeling he had when observing the man, and felt the same as he had then, but far more intensely. His stomach clenched and he grasped it, head spinning.

"Are you alright, sir?"

Before Lukas could reply, he heard the heels of boots as they walked slowly and steadily down the stairs. He looked up, seeing Matthias himself. He was holding a light in his hands and had a strange expression. One that seemed to be a mixture of concern and curiosity.

"Would you explain to me, Charles, why our guest looks so pale? I thought his illness would have passed by now."

Lukas backed up into the door, wincing as his shoulder blades hit the hard wood. It was hard to look at Matthias any longer, but his eyes were stuck on him. He was wearing what looked like a scowl now.

Charles lifted the tray again, bowed, and said, "He has requested to leave the castle, sir."

"For what reason?"

Lukas spoke up. "My brother hasn't returned. He could be lost out there. I need to make sure he is safe." He fidgeted with his cloak, glancing back and forth between the butler and the lord. Both were glancing down, as if in deep thought. Charles looked over at Matthias, and Matthias' eyes flickered back.

"I will send out my own servants to find him. Your name is Lukas, isn't it?"

Lukas wanted to argue, but he thought carefully and settled on nodding. "Yes. And yours is Matthias."

Matthias' face grew more serious and he took a step forward. He looked upset for some reason, and Lukas pushed back against the door again.

"Do you think it's acceptable to refer to me so crudely?"

Lukas hissed through his teeth, not daring to respond. On one hand, he wanted to retaliate. But on the other, he was fearful. He settled for silence, his favorite form of spite.

After a moment, Matthias said, "Charles, send two servants out to look for the boy. Call for one of the maids to escort Lukas to his room."

Lukas set down the candelabra he was holding and stepped forward once more, finding just enough courage inside himself to speak up. "Why won't you allow me to leave?"

Matthias just turned away, whispering to Charles, "Be sure that you keep him in his room until dinner, so that he and I may have a proper conversation." With that, Matthias slipped a skeleton key into his butlers pocket and made his way up the stairs.

* * *

"Let me out."

It must have been the hundredth time Lukas had slammed his fist into the door and asked to be released. They'd locked him in his room and now it was so dark out. The only light came from the moon. They hadn't lit any lamps in the room for him and he couldn't even make out the time.

He slid down the door and buried his face in his hands, more frustrated than anything. He didn't know what Matthias could possibly want with him. He was trying his best to stay calm during this situation.

Just as he was about to hit the door again, he heard it being unlocked. He stood quickly, surprised to see the kind maid he'd met the night before.

"Excuse me, sir. The young master has requested your presence in the dining hall."

"Tell him I don't accept."

The maid seemed to feel sorry for him, but it was her job to do as Matthias told her, so she said, "You don't have a choice, sir. Please do as he asks. I promise you it will only be for a short time."

Lukas looked at the floor thoughtfully, then said, "And if I refuse?"

"You cannot refuse any of master Mathias' requests."

With that, Lukas sat down on his bed, arms crossed and head down. "I will not go."

The maid nodded once, then left him, though she was reluctant.

Lukas was thankful that she'd left a lamp on a small desk in the corner. He thought she might have taken pity on him and done it on purpose. He picked it up, set it on the table by his bed, and leaned back, finally relaxing.

After a while, he was getting drowsy. He was still worried about Alexander and concerned with his own situation, but his body was still weak from the illness and he laid down, body going limp.

He heard his stomach growl occasionally, but he tried to ignore it. He was so hungry, though. He hadn't eaten since lunch and when the maid opened the door, he had smelled the food and it only made it worse. At that moment, he wished he would have gone down, if only to eat.

* * *

Lukas opened his eyes when he heard a loud bang on his door. His heart was racing, the sudden noise scaring him at first. He scrambled to sit up, but didn't stand.

It wasn't Charles this time. He could tell it was Matthias. Nobody else seemed like they would have banged on the door like that.

"I was hoping you'd open the door for me, Lukas," a voice said. There was the soft clinking of the door being unlocked again and Lukas, unsure of what else to do, crawled back under the blankets and pretended to be asleep.

The door swung open and slammed into the wall behind it, almost making Lukas flinch. Boots clicked on the floor, getting closer until Matthias was standing next to the bed.

"It is strange to find you asleep. I would have expected much more protest."

Lukas tried to keep his breathing under control and his eyelids from flickering. He remained absolutely still. He heard another noise, like something being set down, and he tried to open his eyes slightly, but even with the light now in his room, it was still too dark to make out much.

"Though you could very well be awake."

Matthias shined the light in Lukas' face, catching him with his eyes faintly open. He tried to shut them, but it was too late. He'd been caught. Matthias put the lamp on the table while Lukas tried to sit up quickly, not liking the disadvantage of laying down.

"You have no excuse for refusing my request. I show you hospitality and you throw it back in my face."

The other was silent, looking away. His eyes seemed to be burning a hole in him now. He wished he could just leave. If he could find a way to get past Matthias he could make a run for it. But surely the door was still locked. He hoped with all his heart that there were other doors in the castle that led outside, and perhaps they would be unlocked.

Lukas' thoughts were interrupted by the sudden force of a hand on his face, gripping his jaw tightly and digging into his cheeks so hard it stung.

"It is extremely disrespectful to look away while I'm trying to speak with you."

As much as he didn't want to, Lukas looked up at his eyes. In the lamplight, they had a soft yellow shine, though they were a vibrant shade of blue.

Matthias looked back, examining the eyes that showed so much disdain. They were dark blue. Dark enough to be mistaken for brown or perhaps hazel. But there wasn't enough warmth in them to be either.

After a moment, Matthias looked away towards a tray he'd set down and released his hold on Lukas. "I have sent two servants to look for your brother. I am sure they'll be back by sunrise."

"I should be looking for him."

There was no response. Matthias continued on as if he'd said nothing. "I have brought you your dinner. Eat it when you'd like."

Lukas turned faintly to look at the tray again. His stomach growled again, and though Matthias said nothing about it, he must have heard it.

Matthias stood and turned to go, but Lukas needed to know something before he left again. "Why won't you let me leave the castle?" He asked again.

The taller man stopped dead in his tracks, looked back, and said, "It is in your best interest to stay."

And that was all.

* * *

"Young master, what are your plans?"

The man turned, staring at his butler as he paced in his bedroom. "You know the plan," he muttered, stopping only to look at himself in the mirror. He brought a hand up to his face, tugging softly at his skin for a moment before turning away. "And I wish you wouldn't speak to me so patronizingly."

"The years end in—"

"Must you remind me?" He snapped, turning quickly on his heel to face the butler. "I know the years are up when winter passes. Spring will arrive."

"Sooner than you think, sir."

"I will be ready, Charles."

"Will you be, sir? Now that the younger boy has left, he will not come back. I am sure of it. It is this one that must—"

Matthias slammed his fist down on his table and turned, glaring. "How many times must you remind me? It is none of your concern."

"Young master, the look in your eyes makes me think—"

"It isn't your job to think!"

Matthias was leaning over his table, face tinted pink from anger. He took a deep breath, stood up straight, and said, "It isn't your place. Leave me now."

* * *

 **COMMENTS:**

Oh, actually just one! _Is this NorDen or DenNor?_ DenNor.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

* * *

When Lukas woke up the next morning, the room was freezing. A cold front had moved in overnight and he didn't want to get out of bed. His clothes weren't nearly warm enough and he hadn't brought any with him. He thought he'd be home by now, after all.

He slid out of bed, crossing his arms tightly to preserve some of the warmth. He shuffled over to the door, feet already cold despite his thick socks. He looked over at the fireplace in his room. It looked like it hadn't been used in years.

Lukas tugged the door open, surprised that it was unlocked at all. He went downstairs, checked the door, and sighed when it was still locked. He then turned and looked at the hall he was in, eyes scanning over the large room.

His eyes fell on the streaming banners like they had when he walked into the castle for the first time. Unlike before, he noticed symbols on each of them. Some had hearts, some had some sort of small animal that looked like a deer, and some had axes. The symbols combined in the center above an odd white cross.

 _It's a crest,_ he thought. He walked over to it, eyes raking over the symbols again. Below it was a table with a red, silk tablecloth. On top of that were three open books. He couldn't make out any of them. One was written in soft, curvy letters, while the one in the center was written harshly and splattered. The one on the right was mostly images, but there were some roughly written captions, too.

Lukas reached for that book. He ran a finger over the already fading ink. The pictures were beautifully drawn. He was incredibly intrigued. So intrigued that he didn't notice the shadow of somebody walking down the stairs.

He lifted the book off the table, balancing it on his hand. He reached down to turn the page, not accounting for how brittle each sheet was, and when he flipped the page, it tore.

The sound, in theory, would have been quiet, but to the man standing behind Lukas, it was deafening.

Matthias grabbed his shoulder, tenderly took the book, and set it down in its place. He had been holding his breath the whole time.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Lukas didn't move. It was just like a nightmare. He tried to move his feet, but they felt too heavy. "I-I, well, I j-just—"

"You just wanted to pilfer, did you? Weren't you ever taught to mind your own business?"

"You know I didn't mean to—"

"If a man kills another, does it matter to his family if he meant it?"

Lukas let out a little whine and said, "How could you compare the two? It is only a little tear!"

Even Matthias knew that Lukas hadn't meant to rip the page, and he tried to calm down. After a moment, he gulped and turned to him again. The fury in his eyes had lessened.

"Don't touch anything else without permission. Do you understand?"

Lukas sighed in relief and nodded. He then decided to change the subject, focusing on how cold he was again. Before Matthias could walk away, he said, "It is cold."

The taller man hadn't realized this until he noticed the swirling fog in front of Lukas' mouth. His eyes widened slightly when he realized he wasn't feeling the chill. That was never a good sign for him, though he couldn't show his concern in front of Lukas, so he said, "I will have Charles light a fire in every room."

With that, he was gone, although Lukas could hear him yelling orders still.

* * *

The castle had grown much warmer since the morning. That was also thanks to the sun coming out for a couple of hours.

Matthias stood in the window in his study, basking in the light, enjoying it for what it was worth since it had been so cloudy lately, and would most likely get worse.

Lukas was in the hallway outside of his room. He had never seen it so bright. It lifted his spirits a little. He had been thinking about Alexander again, and it was taking a toll on him. He hoped Matthias' servants would return with his brother soon.

Later than night, Lukas was in his room again looking through the books on his walls when he heard a knock on his door. He turned and opened it, seeing the maid like he had the night before.

"The young lord requests your presence in the dining hall," she said.

This time, Lukas stood up and gave a faint nod, not wanting a repeat of last night. The maid seemed to be surprised, though pleased. She walked him down to the dining hall and he sat down in the seat closest to the head.

He was surprised to see that Matthias wasn't even there yet. He picked his cup up, reaching for a bottle of something he assumed was a drink in the middle. He poured himself a glass, surprised to see that it was yellow. He took a drink, cringed at the taste, and called the maid back to ask her for water.

By the time she returned with a glass of water, Matthias came in and took a seat at the head of the table. The minute he sat down, a few of his maids came out and put plates down in front of both of them. Lukas just stared at his food, then looked up at the other man, wondering if it was proper to begin eating.

Once Matthias, lifted his fork, so did he, and the other noticed and was a bit amused, although his face didn't show it. He set the fork down again, watching Lukas as he did the same. He then rotated his plate and nearly smiled when Lukas repeated his actions.

Finally, he stood up, picked up one of the extra glasses he was given, and smashed it against the wall. Lukas stared, looked at his own, and said, "Is this ceremonial?"

Matthias sat down, ignoring his question. He was a little disappointed that Lukas didn't repeat him that time. "You may eat now, Lukas."

Lukas squinted at him, but was too hungry to be suspicious. Besides, the food was always wonderful. Since he'd gotten to castle, he'd been eating better and that was one thing he couldn't complain about.

"What made you change your mind about joining me for dinner?"

Lukas looked at him mid-bite, quickly covering his mouth with his napkin and clearing his throat. "I saw no harm in coming to eat dinner. I need to eat," he replied through a mouthful of pork, his napkin still covering his lips.

Matthias nodded and there was silence while the two ate. After a moment, Lukas set his fork down and looked at him again.

"Where is Alexander? Have your servants returned?"

"Not yet. They will return soon, I'm sure," he replied, pouring himself a glass of whatever disgusting thing Lukas had accidentally drank and chugging half of it without a single look of disgust.

"And what if they don't?"

"You don't need to be worrying about this. They are good servants."

Lukas picked at a piece of bread and sighed quietly. It wasn't easy to stop worrying. Matthias couldn't hardly understand what it was like. Suddenly, Lukas was curious. Where was Matthias' family? Did he have one? The maid had said something about it when he first arrived, but he couldn't recall what it was.

"Do you have family?" He asked.

Matthias immediately shot him a look and slammed his cup down, suddenly fuming. "We don't need to discuss family. That isn't any of your business."

The other man knew that Matthias could be harsh and cold, but this was out of line, and Lukas was even more curious than he was before. "Everyone has family," he said under his breath.

"It is not important!"

Lukas held his hands up defensively and looked down at his plate. He could feel Matthias' eyes still on him, but he pretended to not notice, hoping that he would look away.

After a moment of staring, Matthias shoved himself away from the table, making Lukas flinch and spill his water, and stood up. He tossed his napkin on his plate and stormed out, muttering under his breath. After a minute, Lukas heard a heavy door slam and the chandelier above him shook.

Lukas couldn't help but wonder why he was so sore about his family. He went to find Charles, dead set on answers.

* * *

"I'm afraid it is not my place to speak of the young master's family."

"But he does have a family, yes?"

Charles looked away and gave a small nod.

"What happened? Where are they?"

Before he could ask more questions, he was being escorted to his room. "They are away, sir. You needn't worry."

"But—"

"Goodnight, sir."

* * *

When Lukas woke up the next morning, he heard a commotion downstairs. He crawled out of bed and ran down, seeing Matthias, a few servants, and the butler gathered around the front door. They noticed him and talked in hushed tones.

"What's going on? Did they find Alexander?"

One of the servants stepped forward and said, "Ay. He's safe. We heard news around the village that he's been kept with his grandfather." Matthias leaned in closely and said, "And he isn't returning?"

Both servants shook their heads and Matthias visibly stiffened, his jaw tightening. He knew that the boy wouldn't return and had expected it, but it made things harder than they already were.

"I see."

"He won't be coming back? How am I to leave the castle? When will you let me go?"

The panic in Lukas' voice was evident and his breaths quickened as it sunk in that he was facing both the castle and its harsh lord alone.

"Soon," Charles replied. Matthias looked back at his butler, nodding in agreement, though both knew they were lying.

"What could you possibly want from me? Surely you would have killed me by now if that was your intention."

Charles looked back at Matthias, who took a deep breath before nodding again, giving him permission to use any explanation necessary so that Lukas would stop asking these questions. The butler took Lukas by the shoulder and led him to the kitchen.

"What is this about?"

Charles cleared his throat and took out two glasses, pouring fresh milk in each and handing Lukas a cup. He sipped it slowly, calming down a bit. Charles took his and just held it, thinking up a quick explanation.

"It is partially my decision to keep you here, sir. Please forgive me, but it seems that my young master has been alone for so long that I took it upon myself to find him temporary company."

"He's lonely? That's why I am trapped here?"

"I suppose you could leave out the unlocked window in the storage room on the west side of the castle on the first floor."

Lukas stared at him for a moment, then put his cup down. "W-What?"

"But it would mean very much if you would stay, sir. You see, his family is away and he grows worse every day. I am attempting to keep him sane, you see."

"But he's so—" Lukas stopped, just grimacing and shaking his head. Charles nodded in agreement.

"That he is, sir. But I can assure you that he is a good man. You will see."

After much thought, Lukas took a deep breath and nodded. Charles escorted him out, relieved that the boy would no longer question their motives.

But he also had to wonder. How much of the "made up" explanation was truly a lie?


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

* * *

 _ **I don't know if I should be sorry for updating so quickly? This is just one I'm doing for fun and I really want to be able to post whenever I want. I hate waiting.**_

* * *

Matthias woke up sometime early. It was still dark outside and he could see his breath. _He_ could even feel the chill today and the windows had frosted over. He wondered if Lukas could feel how cold it was, too. He had only given him a thin blanket and he was concerned.

He didn't want to call on any of his maids or servants. He knew they were asleep and he figured it would be easier to bring the blankets to his room himself. He walked down to their supply room, pulled a few blankets off of the walls, and made his way to Lukas' room.

* * *

Lukas woke up early and sat up. The fire in the hearth had nearly gone out and the candle he had lit before falling asleep was about half the size it was and dripping off onto the rug. He crawled out of bed and picked it up, making his way downstairs to the room where the butler had said there was an unlocked window he could escape from.

Sure enough, the window was there and just big enough that he could escape through it. He stood on a barrel and shoved the window open with all of his strength, shivering at the cool gush of wind that hit his face.

He remembered that he'd left his cloak up in his bedroom and hopped off of the barrel. He ran up to his room, holding his candle tightly in his hand. Some wax got onto the floor, but he ignored it.

The only bad thing about moving so quickly was that he really couldn't see more than a foot, maybe two in front of himself. Finally, he got to his floor and moved quicker, but was suddenly knocked back.

He gasped as the breath was knocked out of him. "Ah! What?"

His candle had fallen and gone out, but still there was a light above him. He scooted back a bit as a candle was brought up to his face. He could faintly see Matthias, and the realization hit him hard.

He scooted back more, scraping his hands against the floor. He was speechless.

"What are you doing, Lukas?"

Matthias' voice was lower than it normally was and had a soft rumble. He was trying to stay quiet, but was also incredibly tired still. Nonetheless, it made Lukas shiver more.

"I was j-just—"

"Just?"

Lukas stopped, only letting out a small squeak, finding himself at a loss for words. He and Matthias stared at each other for a moment before the taller man extended a hand.

Lukas hesitated before grabbing onto it. The minute he did, Matthias pulled him up and put a hand on his shoulder. At first, Lukas thought he was going to scold him, but he began walking him back to his room. He stayed silent the entire time.

Once they were in the room, Matthias said, "I brought you more blankets. The cold front is worse than I expected." He then glanced at the dying fire and said, "If you'll excuse me for a moment."

Lukas sat down, his body relaxing. He had been so afraid and now he was just exhausted from the rush of adrenaline dying down.

After a few minutes, Matthias came back with a stack of wood. Lukas looked over curiously and watched him place the logs in the fireplace. It was strange to see him on his knees working at something like a fire.

"Why not have your servants revive the fire?"

Matthias didn't turn around, but Lukas could hear him chuckling softly. "They are asleep. I was awake."

This was very surprising to the other. Matthias seemed like the type who hadn't lifted a finger since the day he was born. "That's kind of you to do for them," Lukas said.

"They do it for me every day," he replied as he managed to grow the fire further until it was crackling and flickering wildly. He wiped his hands off and stood, looking back at Lukas, who was wrapping the blankets around himself like a cocoon.

He gave a very faint smile and turned to go.

"Matthias . . . "

". . . Yes?"

Lukas curled up into a ball, deciding that he could stay for just _one_ more night.

"Goodnight."

Matthias nodded, muttered, "Sleep well," and left.

* * *

When Lukas woke up, there was a bowl of porridge sitting on a tray next to his bed and a cup of milk. He picked the tray up eagerly and looked around, pleased to see that the day was at least somewhat sunny.

As soon as he ate, he got up and walked down to the main hall, looking around for anyone. Surprisingly, he was stopped by the maid.

"Sir, it is my instruction to let you know that your wardrobe will be stocked with clothes this evening."

He gave her a faint smile and nodded, then continued to look around. He walked over to the door and pulled on the handle. He didn't know what he expected. It was still locked. He looked out the window longingly.

He couldn't go outside through the unlocked window because there were too many maids in there during the day. He'd surely be caught. So he continued looking out of the window, placing a hand on one of the panes.

"What are you thinking?"

Lukas turned to see Matthias standing behind him. He cleared his throat, pointed outside, and said, "The weather isn't as cold today."

Matthias knew how hard it could be to stay locked up in the castle all the time, and he pitied Lukas. "Perhaps I could take you outside. You must promise not to leave my sight, though."

Every servant in the hall turned and stared at him. The young master hadn't gone out in months, nor had he expressed the desire to.

Lukas hesitated before nodding. A maid brought him down his cloak and his boots. He put both on, then waited at the door while Matthias got ready. Once he came down, the butler unlocked the door and they walked outside.

The fresh air felt absolutely wonderful. Even Matthias couldn't deny that. Lukas began to walk off, but Matthias grabbed his wrist and gestured for him to hold onto his arm, which he reluctantly did.

"There is a garden in the back of the castle. Come."

Lukas mumbled, "Do I have a choice?"

Matthias almost shot him a look, but when he looked down at him, he was wearing a small smile and had a content look on his face, and he didn't dare ruin that.

Half of the garden was dying at this time of year, but even with half of the plants being in poor shape, it was the nicest garden Lukas had seen, and he wanted to touch ever plant, which he did with the gentlest touch, Matthias noticed.

"What is this?" He would ask over and over, pointing to plants that not even Matthias could name. Even when he didn't know the name, he would give an answer just to please him, and when he repeated the made up words under his breath, it made him smile a little.

The best part was that whenever Lukas saw something that truly made him excited, he would squeeze his arm. He didn't show his excitement much besides that. That was the only way of telling. He most likely didn't even realize it was something he was doing.

Without warning, Lukas turned to face Matthias and said, "When will I be allowed to leave?"

This caught the taller man off guard. He had thought he wouldn't have to answer any more of these questions, but apparently he was wrong.

Normally he would have lied, but something compelled him to tell the truth this time.

"By Spring, I can assure you."

Lukas gasped and immediately pulled away. "Spring?" That was over half a year that he was to be trapped in the castle. "But Alexander will come back for me!"

Matthias didn't believe this. He was sure that his brother would not be returning. His grandfather was old enough to know of the castle and he most likely told his grandson. He wouldn't return after that. Nobody would.

Of course he knew what they said in the village. That he was mad and that all of the parties in the castle, servants and noblemen alike, were malevolent.

The concept that there were multiple noblemen in the castle definitely wasn't true. It was just him and his surplus of servants.

Either way, Matthias didn't want to crush Lukas' spirits, so he said, "And if he does, then I don't know if I'll be able to stop him."

The reply seemed to make Lukas relax and he grabbed onto the others arm again. They continued through the garden, both looking around, occasionally commenting on things.

As they continued, Lukas started to hear something. He thought it might have just been the wind whistling in his ears, but as they walked on, it became clearer. It was an odd kind of squeak. Not so much like a mouse, but similar.

"What is that?"

Matthias walked behind one of the trees and nodded at a bunny that had been caught in a trap. Luckily, it was a cage and the bunny was still alive.

"A rabbit," he replied.

Lukas knelt down immediately and looked at it in its little cage. "It's still a baby. What are you going to do with it?"

Matthias picked up the cage, stared at the animal, and sighed. "It's too small for anything useful. Perhaps just release it."

"There is red on its coat," Lukas said, opening the cage and taking the bunny out to look at it. "There is a thorn in his foot."

Lukas tried to pull the thorn out, but the bunny let out a shrill squeak and he stopped, shaking his head. "He is hurt. I don't think it would be best if I took the thorn out."

"Put it down. Let it fend for itself."

"What?"

"This is not your job, Lukas. Put it down and whatever will happen will happen."

Lukas backed away, holding onto the bunny protectively. "He could die."

"We all pass. Even the rabbit."

"No." Lukas pet the bunny's ears while it continued to squeak.

Matthias couldn't believe it, but he was giving in. He took the bunny from Lukas, put it back in the cage, and offered his arm again. "Then it is yours to care for. I don't want to see any sadness when it dies."

* * *

Charles set his tray down and poured his master a cup of tea. "Young master, I heard squeaking coming from the boys room. Would you care to explain?"

Matthias shot him a glare and sipped his tea. "I do not. I am sure you already know. You just enjoy patronizing me."

The butler smiled faintly at that and stood at the man's side. "The more this little game of yours continues, the harder it will be."

"Little game? You imply that my actions bring me some sort of great amusement."

"Do they not?"

"I would not call it amusement, Charles."

"Would you call it joy, sir?"

The butler earned himself another glare, but Matthias didn't deny it. There was silence between the two before Charles gathered dirty teacups onto his tray, a knowing look on his face.

"Is there something more you wish to say, Charles?"

"Not one thing, sir," he replied, his little smile growing. The other just shook his head, knowing how cryptic his butler could be at times.

* * *

"It is going to be okay," Lukas whispered as he stroked the bunny, trying once again to remove the thorn from its foot. The sounds it made were so sad and he felt terrible.

"We will do it on three," he began. "One . . . Two . . . "

There was a knock on his door and he sighed in relief. "Yes?"

Without answering, Matthias came in. He took one look at the bunny and raised an eyebrow.

"The thorn is still in the rabbit's foot."

The smaller man mumbled, setting the bunny on the bed. "I can't."

Matthias walked over, picked the animal up in one hand, and removed the thorn in one swift pull. The bunny let out the shrillest shriek yet, but then grew quiet.

Although the thorn was out now, Lukas was furious. "You hurt him!"

The other scoffed at that. "I've hurt him? I removed the cause of his pain. The wound can now heal." He pet the bunny like Lukas had been doing before and called for a maid, who brought a little strip of fabric. With the fabric, he gently wrapped up its leg, while Lukas just watched.

"He is nearly frightened to death. Sit by the fire and pet him."

Lukas nodded, doing as he was told. The bunny _did_ seem better, now that he was holding it, and he looked at Matthias with a small, appreciative smile.

* * *

 _"Matthias! See what I have found?"_

 _Matthias grinned as he took the small animal. It was a bunny. It shivered in his hand and he began to console it, petting it gently._

 _"I think it is alright to keep. What say you?"_

 _"You will not tell mother?"_

 _"My lips are sealed."_

 _A few days later, Matthias heard crying outside of his door. He peeked out and saw a small hand holding out the bunny that had now grown cold and hard. "H-He has passed!"_

 _"Ah, do not cry! We all pass. Even those of us who are little rabbits. But he moves on to paradise! So wipe away your tears. We will wrap him and bury him."_

 _The boy wiped his tears and hugged Matthias tightly, bunny still clutched in his hand._

 _"Thank you," he muttered. "Thank you, thank you."_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

* * *

 _ **I just really need to not update every single day but?**_

* * *

"Sir?"

Lukas rubbed his eyes, groaned quietly, and looked over at the maid, who was staring down at him with a smile. "Good morning, sir," she said, waiting patiently for him to get up.

Although he didn't want to, he got up and walked over to her. He clutched a blanket around his shoulders and quietly sighed. He wasn't sure what she wanted, but he wasn't eager.

"Why are you here so early?"

"It is my orders to make sure you have a bath first thing in the morning," she replied as she began leading him downstairs. He followed, stretching his arms high above his head as he let out a yawn. He hadn't even concerned himself with baths or washing since he'd arrived.

Lukas was led into a good sized room with a marble washtub, which was very different from anything he was used to.

"There is soap in the wooden box on this table, sir, and a washcloth as well. Do you mind if I open the curtains to let the light in?"

Lukas nodded and looked into the tub, now realizing that it was already full of water. He looked over at the maid, who was already leaving. Once she was gone, he began to undress. He was sure the maid had locked his door, but he kept checking it nervously until he lowered himself into the warm water.

It felt amazing, too. Lukas let out a content sigh and leaned back. He felt tired still and almost fell asleep, but he was afraid the maid would come back and he would be asleep, and then she would come in without permission and see him naked. He splashed water in his face, attempting to wake more.

He scooted closer to the wooden box on the edge of the tub and opened it, pulling out a bar of soap. It smelled a little like mint. Sort of like Matthias, but different.

Lukas grabbed a rag and rubbed the bar over it. He put it to his nose and breathed in the scent again, intrigued.

It made him feel calm. A little sleepy again. But mostly calm. He washed his body off, then his hair, then his face. Before he could get too tired again, he rinsed off and got out, grabbing the nearest towel.

"May I come in, sir?"

Lukas quickly covered himself and said, "I suppose."

The maid came in with a pile of clothes. She set them on the table, bowed a little, and left.

Lukas eyed the clothes curiously. He dropped his towel and picked up a pair of pants. They were short, unlike the ones he normally wore. He held them to his body, and they went down to just below his knees. He raised an eyebrow at that. They seemed much nicer than he was used to.

Lukas slid on the underwear he was given and looked over at the dusty mirror in the room. They almost went down to his knees and were so much whiter than anything he wore. All of his clothes were a bit yellowed from being so old, but not these.

Next he slid on the socks, which were long, going just above his knees. He figured that was so none of his skin showed. He slid the pants on, buttoned them, then put on the white shirt he was given. The final thing was some sort of vest. It had a swirling red pattern and was very soft. He put it on, then looked in the mirror.

He felt so different. These clothes made him stand taller and hold his head higher. He was pleased with what he saw. He started to button the vest, but his fingers fumbled. The holes were a little small and the buttons were polished and smooth, which was a real pain.

"Lukas?"

He spun around and looked at the door, hands still fumbling with the buttons. "Come in."

This time, it wasn't the maid. It was Matthias. He snorted when he saw that Lukas was struggling with the buttons.

"Are you going to be alright?"

"It's a simple task," he replied, gritting his teeth as he tried to shove another button through the hole. It slipped again and he sighed.

"It is. Would you like help?"

Lukas reluctantly nodded and the other man walked over. He buttoned the vest with ease, smoothing the front when he was finished. "It wasn't as hard as you made it look," he said, a smile forming.

"It wasn't as _easy_ as you made it look," he said sharply, looking up at Matthias.

He hadn't realized they were so close until now and he immediately took a step back, becoming suddenly aware that his damp hair was a mess. He raked his fingers through it and cleared his throat. "What was it you wanted, Matthias?"

"I wanted to let you know that the maids have been feeding your rabbit, so you have no need to."

Lukas crossed his arms. "And that is all, then?"

"I wanted to be sure that the maid had given you the correct clothing. I suppose she didn't tell you that you have a comb upstairs in your room."

Lukas ran his fingers through his hair again, huffing quietly. "If you'll excuse me, then."

With that, he walked past Matthias and went up to his bedroom.

* * *

Alexander pushed away his tea and crossed his arms. "I don't want to drink any tea. I want to know how we're going to get Lukas away from the castle," he snapped.

"Alexander, we must be patient. We have to have a plan to get him back. They won't let him walk out of that castle, I am sure of it."

The boy sighed and stopped pacing, finally taking a seat next to his grandfather. "What if they are hurting him? Plotting something sinister?"

The old man patted his back, trying to provide some comfort. "Lukas is a smart boy. He will find a way out if he needs to. We just have to stay hopeful for now. Surely we will be able to get him back in one month's time. Until then, you must be patient."

* * *

Lukas didn't eat dinner with Matthias that night. He went down to the dining hall and ate alone.

He didn't enjoy such a good meal alone. He felt slightly guilty. Although he figured one of the maids had brought Matthias his food wherever he was. He was most likely upstairs working on something, although Lukas was still curious.

When he finished his meal, he stood and walked up to Matthias' study. The door was shut and he hesitated before knocking.

"Who is it?"

"Lukas."

Matthias stood, unlocked the door, and opened it, then sat back down at his desk. Lukas followed and stood in front of him, not knowing what to say initially.

"Did you eat dinner alone?"

He didn't look up. He was writing something. "I did."

Lukas stepped a little closer and Matthias squinted, pulling whatever he was writing out of Lukas' sight. The smaller man gave a little smile and just shrugged before saying, "Useless."

"Excuse me?"

He hadn't actually meant to say that out loud to Matthias and he stepped back again. He could feel eyes boring into him. Perhaps he shouldn't have even come up to the study. He turned to go, but felt a hand on his shoulder before he could move.

"Sit down."

Lukas did as he was told, though he really didn't want to. Matthias didn't seem to be in a good mood. His face was too stern. He set his pen down and leaned back. "Useless?"

"Yes."

"Why useless?"

"I didn't mean to insult your writings," he said, face growing pale. Matthias seemed to be getting worked up about this and he looked at the door. "I just meant—"

"Speak up."

"I just meant it is useless to hide it from me."

"You still want to know all of my business, do you?"

"That isn't what I meant."

Matthias closed the book, got up, and put it on a shelf. "Save your excuses."

"But I—"

"But what?!"

Lukas hesitated. He nearly flinched at his harsh tone and stood up, looking at the floor. "It is useless because I can't really read."

Matthias didn't feel guilty a lot, but his face fell when he heard that. He should have known. But the way Lukas talked seemed so educated and he just assumed that he knew how to read.

"How do you follow signs? Look at notes?"

"I suppose I can pick some words out when I try. And the signs have arrows. There are many symbols. I can tell when something is written in another language, too."

"So you aren't able to write?"

Lukas shook his head, his cheeks burning from shame. He was supposed to learn to read, but his grandfather had disowned his parents when he was younger, and they weren't admitted back into the family until he was fourteen. His grandfather was the only one who could have given him enough money to obtain an education.

Once his grandfather took them in, the door of opportunity seemed to be closed for him, and he never bothered with reading or writing.

"Everyone deserves to know how to read and write."

Lukas shrugged slightly and said, "It's too late."

Before he knew it, Matthias had grabbed his hand and led him over to the other side of the desk. "It isn't. I will teach you how." He picked up his pen, dipped it in ink, and put it in Lukas' hand. "Write your name."

Lukas just stared at him and stuttered faintly, his eyes widening as he looked down at a blank journal Matthias had opened for him. "But I cannot write," he whispered.

"Write it. Now."

"But—"

Matthias took Lukas' hand, put it on the paper, and began moving it. "L-U-K-A-S. Lukas. See the first letter? What sound does it make?"

"It makes a 'la' sound," he replied. His hand was shaking and the other man noticed. He tried to hold it still as he continued to write.

"What words begin with 'L'?"

Lukas began to say he didn't know, but Matthias stopped him, shot him a look, and the look alone made him glance back down at the paper.

"Lie. Starts with L." He wrote an L. "L-ie. There is an 'I'. I know 'I'." He scribbled an 'I' and flashed a little nervous smile. "L-I. Lie."

"There is a silent letter. L-I-E. Lie." Matthias took his hand and forced him to write the final letter.

Lukas just stared at the word. The 'I' seemed to mock him and he felt angry. "Why?" He questioned. He dipped the pen in ink again and wrote out the word again. "Lie."

"We can try another. What begins with L?"

"Love. L-" Lukas paused and thought, but he couldn't think of the right letter. "Love. Love," he kept repeating it, but it didn't help.

"Love. L-O-V-E. It has the silent 'e'."

"Why?"

At that, Matthias just let out a light laugh. "I could never tell you. But through repetition, you will remember."

Lukas faintly smiled, feeling a little more confident. He looked down at Matthias' hand on top of his own and suddenly became more aware of how it felt. It was warm and a little rough, but comforting. He could smell him, too. He smelled like mint and pine trees and something else that made him more relaxed. Before he could dwell more on him, he removed his hand and stood.

"It is late. You should be going to bed now."

Lukas stood as well, making his way to the door.

"Lukas?"

"Yes?"

There was a pause and Lukas wasn't sure if Matthias was going to speak, but finally he said, "Sleep well," and Lukas began slowly walking to his room again.

* * *

 _Lukas looked around. The fire had been reduced to smoke and the stairs beckoned him. He walked up and pushed past a heavy door. Once he was inside, his body sunk to the floor._

 _He felt so light and happy. He opened his eyes wider and noticed a figure standing in front of a row of stained-glass windows. He just smiled more and laid down on the rug, stretching his hands up towards the ceiling. He muttered something soft, letting out a giggle._

 _"Lukas," a voice said. He suddenly saw Matthias standing above him. He was smiling gently. He looked almost as happy as he felt. He extended a hand towards the taller man. He took it and started pressing kisses to it. On his palm, on his knuckles, on his fingers._

 _Lukas whispered something to him. Matthias stopped kissing his hand and moved on top of him. Lukas wrapped both arms around his neck, holding onto him. He could feel the other pressing warm kisses all over his neck and he let out another giggle._

 _Not only could he feel the kisses, but he could feel the weight of his body. He pushed up against it with his own, longing to be closer._

 _"Lukas."_

 _He suddenly spread his legs as his eyes found their way back to the colorful windows. "Matthias," he whispered. Before anything else could happen, his eyes fluttered shut._

* * *

When Lukas woke up, his face twisted into one of worry and slight disgust. Mostly with himself. He sat up, suddenly noticing that his inner thighs were slick. His eyes widened and he pulled the blanket down, immediately spotting a stain.

The worst thing that could happen was the maids finding out about this and telling Matthias. He pulled the pants off and shoved them under the bed, then grabbed a new pair and put them on.

He crawled back into bed, hoping he wouldn't have another dream like that about Matthias again.


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER 7**

* * *

Matthias hadn't seen Lukas all day, and he wondered why. It was almost as if the other was avoiding him, and the thought alone chipped away at the content mood he'd been holding for the past few days.

Finally, when Lukas declined the request to see him in his study, he had to go see what he was up to.

"Lukas, let me in," he demanded. He banged his fist on the door after there was no reply. "That was not an order you can accept at your leisure. Open the door before I open it myself!"

Without much choice, Lukas opened the door. He looked like he'd been sleeping, although Matthias couldn't be sure.

"What have you been doing in this room all day?"

Lukas simply held out the bunny. Its nose was twitching a bit and it looked relaxed and healthy. Matthias took it from his hand, holding it for a moment. He was actually surprised that the animal had survived this long.

"I see. Put it back in the cage and come with me. You have your first real lesson."

The word "lesson" made Lukas instinctively groan. Lessons seemed hard. Nonetheless, Lukas followed Matthias to his study. Matthias had pulled a chair up next to his own and already had the journal and pens out.

"Sit. We will begin with learning the alphabet. You will copy what I have written here into your journal."

Matthias watched Lukas slowly write out each letter, muttering under his breath the written name for each. His eyes were close to the page and he was hunched over, something Matthias would never do.

"Sit up straight."

"What? I don't think that matters."

"Sit up straight," he said again, putting one hand on Lukas' chest and the other on his lower back. "Shoulders back, head up, back straight."

When Matthias touched him, Lukas flinched. All he could think of was the dream he'd had and he nearly cringed for thinking of that again.

It was the reason he hadn't wanted to see the other man today. The reason he was going out of his way to avoid him. The dream had been so vivid and when he looked at Matthias, he could practically feel his lips on his neck again. He visibly shuddered.

"Are you cold?"

For some reason, Lukas nodded. He supposed it would be a good lie for why he shuddered.

To his surprise, Matthias took off his coat and draped it over Lukas' shoulders. He immediately tensed upon feeling the weight of the coat on his shoulders. On one hand, it was very warm. On the other, it was a very personal item and it was Matthias' warmth he was feeling.

He pulled the coat up more, wrapping it around himself. Who was he to decline a kind gesture?

"You're hunched over again. Sit up."

Lukas sat up straight and continued with his writings. After a few minutes of silence, he put his pen down. The taller man looked over, eyes scanning each symbol.

"Do you know each one by name?"

"Not in order."

Matthias began to protest, but stopped when he realized that it wasn't actually necessary for the alphabet to be in order. "Recite them."

Lukas was stumped again. "G, I, L, Q, W, Z, P, B. And then there is—"

That seemed to be it. He looked down at the page, saw all the letters he missed, and turned away, muttering under his breath.

"I am sure you can memorize the order," Matthias reassured.

Lukas slowly shook his head. It was hard for him to feel motivated about this. He closed the book and let out a quiet sigh.

"What if I showed you a different way to memorize?"

Lukas looked over again, re-opened the book, and nodded.

* * *

 _"Matthias, you must complete your writings by the time we meet again tomorrow. Less of the knights in place of writings."_

 _Matthias nodded solemnly. Once the man was out of the room, he grinned, tossed his book on the floor, and ran down the stairs as fast as he could. He pushed open one of the doors, yelling "I am finished! What do you feel like doing?"_

 _The boy looked up from his desk, huffed, and said, "I have to memorize the written symbols that he left for me. You get all the easy work."_

 _"Easy? I have not heard anything so ridiculous in months!"_

 _Matthias sat down next to him, looking over his work with a laugh. The boy punched him in the leg and said, "Do not laugh!"_

 _He just grinned wider. "If I teach you a good way to memorize, you must teach me a new game. How does that sound?"_

 _The boy nodded eagerly, turning to Matthias which a huge grin._

 _"I memorized them through song. Here, listen."_

 _Matthias then sang a short song he'd made up for memorizing the alphabet. The boy beamed at him and sang along the second time. Then the third time. And by the fourth, he was singing it by himself._

 _"You have it memorized! Keep practicing and you will become an expert."_

 _The two laughed together for a moment before they heard a knock on the door. Matthias opened it and looked down, smiling wider. "Look who it is!"_

 _"No maidens allowed!"_

 _"But she doesn't count," Matthias said, winking at her and lifting her up onto his shoulders. She grabbed onto his hair and giggled while the boy stuck out his tongue at her._

 _"There will be no wars during the game! And we must stay outside. Father has guests coming soon and he is preparing the castle."_

* * *

"Doesn't that seem silly?"

"No. It is effective."

Lukas hesitated before singing softly under his breath. It seemed so strange to sing to memorize, but it was easy and he was willing to do anything to make this process easier.

After a moment, he realized Matthias was staring at him and he scooted away a bit, feeling uneasy under his gaze. The taller man noticed and averted his eyes, but only for a moment.

It wasn't his intention to make the other uncomfortable, but there were times when it hit him that he had been alone in the castle for so long with just his servants. Seeing anyone from the village was interesting. It was the only new thing he would ever see nowadays.

Besides that, Lukas was different. He was unlike any person who'd ever visited him. He had never had someone so young before. And he'd never had someone who would have to stay so long, either.

He thought he'd be able to keep his distance, but here was Lukas in his study, right beside him. He was close enough that he could smell him, even. He smelled a little like milk. Sort of sweet and sort of pure. He didn't know how else to describe it besides that.

"Stop looking at me," he muttered.

This pulled Matthias out of his thoughts and he, once again, looked away.

Lukas repeated the song a few more times before standing, deciding that he was ready to leave for now. Matthias found himself in a dilemma.

He didn't want Lukas to go, but he also didn't want to force him to stay without a reason. He didn't want to seem vulnerable, like he needed anyone. But that was the truth. He wanted Lukas' company.

"Lukas."

He stopped, turning to face Matthias again.

"What is it?"

He should have thought of something, but his mind was blank. "Nothing," he answered.

Lukas nodded faintly, turned again, and left.

* * *

"Are you concerned with the young master's behavior, Charles?"

"I suppose I am, Anna."

The maid nodded as she folded a sheet she'd cleaned earlier. Charles was patching something up quickly and humming under his breath.

"He seems to like that boy."

Charles glanced over at her. "I suppose he does. Though it is none of our business."

"But what if he decides he cannot complete th—"

"It is none of our business," he interrupted again. He stood and walked to the room over, not wanting to be pestered anymore about his master.

* * *

Matthias rubbed his temples and reached for the steaming cup of tea in front of him. He hadn't been so stressed in a while, and it was all his fault. He should have been more careful. He should have been calculating the result of his actions.

He was being far too merciful and kind towards Lukas. He should have stayed just as cold as he had been on the day he came into the castle with his brother.

"Is something the matter, sir?"

"Charles," he said, the distress evident in his voice, "I am going to have to be stern. More cold. There is no other choice."

"I assume you consider that behavior more merciful than kindness?"

Matthias stirred his tea silently for a moment. "I consider betrayal to be painful."

"But would you say that ignorance is bliss, sir?"

He only scoffed and stood up, walking away from his bed. He didn't know what he thought anymore.

"Perhaps I should ignore him completely. It is just—"

He stopped himself. Charles nodded knowingly and set down a vase he'd been polishing. "It is just that you have been alone for too long. You desire what he could give you more than—"

"How could you say such a thing? To even insinuate it is just . . . just mad!"

He was angry now. He rubbed his eyes and looked away, gritting his teeth as his memories hit him like a brick, causing his heart to convulse for a short moment.

He clutched his shirt over his heart, shaking his thoughts off as he faced his butler again.

"I know what I want. I've wanted it for so long and have been working towards it my entire life and then some. I will not change for this boy. A peasant, no less!"

"Sir, I believe it to be a matter of instant gratification."

"Instant gratification?"

Charles poured more tea as he nodded. "Simply put; he is here. And they are not."

That resonated within Matthias and he took a moment to think about what his butler was saying. Finally, he said, "Then I should give in to my selfishness? Be kind until the end? Treat him with betrayal?"

"It is ultimately your choice. I do not see why you would care so much about being selfish, young master. This has never been a problem in the past."

He knew his butler was right, but there was something different about Lukas. He had felt it the moment he touched his cheek the first time he met him.

"What say you, then? What should I do?"

The butler picked up his tray and walked towards the door. "Treat him coldly, as always. But if you find yourself slipping, it will be your choice to give in or stay bitter."

"But what if I—" He trailed off, but Charles knew what he meant.

"Then you do. And either choice you make in the end will lead to suffering, one long-term and the other short."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

* * *

Matthias didn't talk to Lukas for a week outside of their lessons, which he spent very little time on. As Lukas had been avoiding him before, now he was the one steering clear of the other.

Lukas had noticed, too. He noticed every time he came down to dinner and Matthias would avert his eyes, staring at his drink like it was the most important thing in the world. He wasn't trying to be subtle, either. He didn't have anything to prove to Lukas. In fact, that's what he was trying to avoid.

The entire reasoning behind avoiding Lukas was to remain distant. To remain cold. To prevent himself from developing any sort of attachment.

It was a hard process. Harder than it appeared. Whenever he saw Lukas, he felt drawn to him. Like perhaps he should stop and talk to him, whether it be stern and unkind or soft and caring. But he prevented this, a fear of some kind of strange addiction setting in. A fear that maybe one day he would talk to him and suddenly, like a match instantly igniting after one scratch, his own heart would feel the desire and longing it hadn't felt in so many years.

He would never admit this to anyone. Barely to himself, even. It was only when he was laying in his bed after the moon was high in the sky that he decided it was okay to dwell on these feelings of desire.

It was more confusing than anything. He hadn't felt anything like what he was feeling, exactly. Similar, but not quite.

His thoughts drifted to strange places, too. Strange in the worst of ways. He recalled a dream, more of a nightmare, he'd had nights before.

* * *

 _He walked outside into the garden. It was in full bloom and the air felt warm. The roses had died long ago, but the bushes were full of them, each just as beautiful as the last. He reached down to touch one._

 _It was a soft flower. The petals were silky. He spread them out more with his fingers, then grabbed the entire bud and ripped it off the stem, crushing it._

 _He had no reason. Just an urge. He moved to the next one, grabbing it and attempting to rip it off the bush. This time, a thorn went through his hand, straight through, and though he couldn't feel the pain, the sight of blood dripping off of his palm made him wince._

 _"Charles," he called out. There was no reply. Suddenly, he saw movement out of the corner of his eye._

 _"Aha, I caught you!" Called a voice, and someone jumped on his back. The voice sounded like his brother, or his sister, but when he turned to see who it was, it was Lukas._

 _"Lukas."_

 _He smiled, got down, and started spinning around. He laughed and Matthias could feel himself smiling, too. "What are you doing?" He whispered to him, taking his hand to stop him from spinning._

 _He stopped and stared at him, his smile fading. At first it looked as though he might cry, then he smiled again, though it was different. It was mocking. It took Matthias aback and was a bit frightening._

 _He watched as the other walked over, grabbed a branch from the rose bush, and went around to the tree. He started stabbing something, it seemed, and Matthias walked over, seeing a dead rabbit._

 _This wasn't dreamy. It seemed so real. He swore he could smell the blood from the animal._

 _"How could you do such a thing, you evil—"_

 _Lukas suddenly looked up at him with teary eyes, then pointed to the rabbit again. It was now alive and well, walking around Matthias' feet._

 _"I did not hurt him!" He then stood, wrapping both arms around Matthias tightly. "That was so scary, Matthias! I was so frightened. I would never hurt anyone like that."_

 _Matthias hugged him tightly, instantly forgiving him. After a moment, he felt Lukas tug away, saw him pick up the rabbit again, and without warning, he slammed its body into the tree._

 _What slid down the tree was not the body of the rabbit, but the body of his sister, spine cracked. He gasped, tears welling in his own eyes as he sunk to his knees._

 _"Look what you have done, you monster! You evil, evil—"_

 _When he turned, to look at Lukas again, he saw a flash of black and white only that disappeared almost immediately. He quickly turned to the body of his sister, but it wasn't her anymore, but Lukas, tears running down his face and hand reaching upwards._

* * *

The dream was a hard one to recall, and nearly impossible to interpret. He hoped he wouldn't have another one like it.

He almost said something to Charles about the dream, but he didn't want to appear crazy or ill, so he kept quiet.

Now he was sitting in his study, writing as he always did. It was raining again and he had to light a candle to see despite it being a little after noon. His eyelids felt heavy and he thought about taking a nap, which was strange for him. He never did that. He closed his book and went to his room, stopping to sit in front of his mirror.

He pulled gently on his skin, patting it occasionally. He sighed and sat on the bed, burying his face in his hands. He really didn't want to sleep.

"Charles!"

The butler was in the room in less than a minute. He already had tea on his tray and was pouring it. He took the cup, sipping quietly while Charles opened the curtains more, letting what little light he could in.

"I'm tired," he said quietly, setting the cup down. Charles looked over at him, his eyes narrowing.

"Should I tell them to prepare medicine, sir?"

"No. There is no need."

"Perhaps you should sleep, sir."

Matthias looked at the floor. He hadn't gotten a lot of sleep lately. He really didn't want to have another nightmare. Now his drowsiness was becoming overwhelming and he took his coat off, handing it to Charles who put it away.

"Sleeping during the day is not an acceptable practice. I would call it lazy."

Charles shook his head, disagreeing. "Now is a good time to sleep. I can assure you, young master."

He nodded and leaned back. "I see. You're dismissed."

The butler bowed and left, locking the door behind him. Matthias laid down, his entire body craving sleep desperately. He let his eyes fall shut and he took a deep breath, already starting to feel himself slip away.

As soon as he was almost asleep, there was a knock on the door. He sighed, stood, and unlocked the door. To his surprise, it was the maid.

"What is it?"

She smiled softly and held blankets out to him. "It is cold, sir. Charles told me to bring up blankets."

He stared blankly, his eyes more angry than anything at having been woken up, but he let it go and took the blankets, thanking her.

As he turned to go back to his bed, he heard a quiet, "Excuse me," in the doorway. He turned to see Lukas pushing his way past the maid, who was no longer smiling.

"Matthias, I must talk to you."

"The young master is very tired right now, sir," the maid said. Matthias looked at her, nodding once and saying, "You are dismissed."

She reluctantly left, shutting the door behind her. Now it was just Matthias and Lukas. They both stared at each other, waiting for someone to speak. Lukas took a step back towards the door after a moment and said, "Why have you been avoiding me?"

"I have been busy."

"With?"

Matthias' gaze darkened. The circles under his eyes were extremely noticeable and Lukas thought for a moment that maybe something really was wrong.

"Nosey as ever. Scheming up a way to learn more."

"That isn't what I—"

"Please leave."

Lukas shook his head and even took a step forward. Matthias' jaw clenched. If there was one thing he hated, it was being disobeyed.

"I said go! Go back to your room!"

It bothered Lukas to be yelled at like that. He was never yelled at. The tone made him flinch and he backed up again towards the door. "No," he said. "I need to know if something is going on."

Matthias had reached his breaking point now. He reached out, grabbed him by the arm, and opened the door, shoving him out. Lukas had tried to pull out of his grip, but it was almost impossible and he ended up on the cold floor outside his room.

He held his arm where Matthias had grabbed it. There was already a bruise forming. He glared up at him.

Matthias hadn't meant to shove him out so hard that he'd fall. He'd just meant to give him a little push. Now he could see the mark from his hand and he actually felt guilty. He wanted to say something, but the words seemed to be caught in his throat.

Lukas stood up, eyes fixed on the floor, and started to go back to his room. Once he got there, he sat on the bed and covered his face with his hands, beginning to cry softly.

He didn't cry often, but everything seemed to overcome him. Alexander wasn't here for him. He was stuck in the castle. And now, Matthias was treating him worse than ever.

Suddenly, he remembered what Charles had told him. That there was a window downstairs that was unlocked. He wiped his tears, stood up, and opened the door.

"Good afternoon, sir."

Lukas looked at the butler, who was standing in his doorway. He came in and poured a cup of tea. "Good afternoon," he replied, trying to hide that he'd been crying. Charles smiled faintly and handed him the tea.

"Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?"

Lukas shook his head and took a drink, surprised at how sweet this tea was. He continued drinking it, feeling happier.

Charles just nodded, refilled his cup, and left.

Lukas took another drink and began to feel drowsy in the best of ways. He felt light, like nothing could touch him. He laid down on the bed, curling up and fumbling to pull a blanket over himself. His eyes fluttered shut and he fell asleep.

* * *

"Charles, I cannot sleep now. I saw the look on his face."

The butler scooted the tea closer to him. "This will help, sir."

"What?" He picked up the cup, looking at the reddish-pink liquid inside. "What is this?"

"This is a medicine that will help you sleep, young master. You do not have to drink it, but I recommend it."

Matthias was suspicious, but he was tired enough to try anything. He tilted the cup back, swallow the contents in two gulps. It tasted nothing like medicine. Medicine was normally bitter and awful, but this was sweet. He gave the cup back and started to feel drowsy.

"Charles, leave me be," he said, laying on the bed and instantly falling asleep before he could be sure if he actually left or not.

* * *

 _Lukas was at the bottom of the stairs again with smoke surrounding him. He made his way to the room he'd gone in when he dreamt before, though when he spotted the stained-glass windows, there was no shadow in front of them. He seemed to be alone._

 _He walked over to the windows, looking out. From here he had a beautiful view of the forest and the hills. He could also see the gardens. They looked incredibly beautiful as if it were spring and everything had just bloomed._

 _The more he looked, the more he noticed some sort of movement. Although his view was foggy, there was a figure in the garden._

 _He raced back down the stairs and out the door, then ran to the garden, stopping a few feet away from the figure, which he recognized now to be Matthias._

 _"Matthias," he called out. He turned and looked at Lukas. He didn't walk over or say anything for a moment. Lukas took a step forward, hesitantly putting a hand on his shoulder. Matthias' eyebrows furrowed and he looked at the others arm for a bruise._

 _"I made a mistake," he said, lifting his arm and touching the bruise softly._

 _"I forgive you. I think I will stay," he replied, stepping closer to Matthias, who gave him a quizzical look._

 _"You will stay?"_

 _He nodded slowly and said, "I was going to sneak through the window in the storage room." Tears welled in his eyes. "Do not be upset."_

 _"It is unlocked?" Matthias shook his head, staring at Lukas more, who was crying. He reached a hand out, wiping away his tears. "I am not upset."_

 _Lukas nodded with a faint smile, holding his hand out to Matthias, who didn't know what to do with it. He reluctantly took it, looking at Lukas for further instruction. He looked as though he was expecting something._

 _Very hesitantly, and while keeping an eye on him, he kissed his hand. When he didn't pull away, he kissed it again and again, everywhere he could. The light giggles that came from Lukas made him feel happy and he grinned._

 _"You are happy, Lukas?"_

 _"This moment makes me happy," he replied, pulling his hand away. He looked again at Matthias like he expected something._

 _Matthias didn't know what to do. He watched Lukas walk over to a patch of flowers and lay down in them, closing his eyes. He followed him, kneeling down. "Are you tired?" He asked._

 _Lukas shook his head, motioning for him to kay down as well, which he did. Suddenly, Matthias looked up and realized there was no sky. His brain registered what this meant. He was dreaming. He looked over at Lukas and smiled faintly, wrapping both arms around him and hugging him tightly._

 _He suppose this wasn't a bad dream to have. He had more freedom now and once he had Lukas in his arms, he actually leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. Lukas laughed lightly and laid down on top of him, resting his cheek on his chest._

 _"Matthias, why were you so mean today?"_

 _He frowned and felt guilty again. "It was stupid of me," he said, running fingers through the others hair. "I should have never been so careless with you."_

 _"Please," he whispered to Matthias as he moved off of him._

 _"Please what?"_

 _He tilted his head back and reached out to him, taking his hand. He places his fingertips on his lips, kissing them. Matthias could only stare, confused by the fact that he couldn't control Lukas' actions despite understanding it was a dream._

 _He watched as Lukas kissed his fingertips, then pressed them to his own neck. His eyes were fixed on his the entire time. "Please," he said again._

 _After a moment, Matthias said, "You want a kiss?"_

 _Lukas nodded eagerly, exposing his neck. Matthias leaned down and pressed a warm kiss to his neck. It felt good to kiss him. His skin was smooth and soft and pale. He kissed his neck again and again, listening for more breathy giggles from him._

 _Suddenly, Matthias took it upon himself to move on top of him, his kisses turning slower. He took advantage of the dream fully, moving a hand down the side of the others body, pinching and pulling while Lukas spread his legs slightly._

 _He wondered how real any of it was. If Lukas felt like that. If this was how it would really feel to have his body pressed up against his own._

 _Lukas moved his legs apart more, enjoying the closeness and the way Matthias' hands felt. They were gentle, but strong. When one grabbed his hip, he whimpered impatiently and rolled his hips up._

 _Matthias understood the movement well and he rolled his own down, eliciting a small whine from Lukas, whose cheeks were flushed._

 _"Matthias," he whispered, bringing up a hand to touch the others cheek. He kept repeating his name over and over before finally, they both shut their eyes._

* * *

He woke up and stared at the ceiling. It was much later now. The candles in the room were lit and there were stars outside. He sat up, feeling cool air hit his thighs. He glanced down at the stain on his pants and quickly made sure his door was locked before undressing.

Luckily, none had gotten on the sheets. He stuffed the dirty clothes in the back of his wardrobe, hoping nobody would find them. He then put new clothes on, straightened them out, and tried not to think about the dream as he was informed that dinner was prepared.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

* * *

"When will be able to bring Lukas back home? He must be so afraid," Alexander said to his grandfather.

They had been trying to figure out what to do about Lukas for a week, but neither had any ideas but to gather a crowd to storm the castle. This idea wasn't working like they'd hoped, either. Nobody wanted to go near the castle.

"You have to be calm, Alexander. We will bring him back."

"What could possibly be so awful about the castle that not even soldiers will come with us?"

His grandfather paused, looking away. "I don't wish to frighten you."

Alexander sat on his bed and leaned down, pulling him into a hug. "Please," he said quietly. "I need to know more."

After a moment, the old man sat up more, looking to his maid. "Bring me the bard," he said. She nodded obediently and left.

* * *

Matthias was unsure if he should avoid Lukas. There was part of him that said there was something not right about ignoring him like he'd been doing. It had only led to trouble.

He had decided that night that he would stop avoiding the other, but for the next few days, it seemed like Lukas was avoiding him. Whenever he tried to talk to him, he was occupied with something else.

Finally, after a week of being avoided, he shoved Lukas' door open and found him sitting in bed playing with his bunny. He looked up with wide eyes when Matthias barged in.

"You could have knocked," he muttered. Matthias walked over and stood over him, his face serious.

"You have just forgotten your lessons, then?"

Lukas was silent for a moment before saying, "What about you? You haven't tried to give me a lesson."

Matthias' eyes narrowed and he stepped closer. "This is not about me. This is about you. I have been lenient, but now I feel as though it was a mistake."

Lukas picked up his rabbit and nervously stroked it, not making eye contact. In all actuality, he was avoiding Matthias because of his second dream about him. Every time he looked at him, his mind wandered back to the dream and he became flustered. He knew Matthias would notice, too, and ask him about it. It was easiest to avoid him.

Well, it had seemed easiest before. Now that he had approached him and didn't show any signs of leaving, he regretted avoiding him. Now he was going to have to face Matthias and he was sure he was already blushing because his cheeks felt so warm.

"I was just tired."

Matthias raised an eyebrow, not buying into the excuse for one second. "Tired for a week? I want to know why you've been avoiding me."

There was no way Lukas could tell him about the dream. He quickly thought up different lies to tell. "I have been feeling ill again and I didn't want you to catch it," he said, hoping the other would buy it. He looked at Lukas for a moment, trying to decide if that really was the truth.

"You haven't asked for medicine? Extra care?"

Lukas opened his mouth to speak, then closed it and thought. "No. I didn't want to bother any of the servants."

"And now you have recovered so quickly without any care?"

He was growing more and more nervous and the lies were becoming more difficult to uphold. He didn't speak out of fear that he would incriminate himself further. After a moment, Matthias' gaze turned colder and he stepped closer. "Answer me."

"I didn't mean—"

"Now."

Lukas gulped, nodding slowly. That's the only answer he could muster, and he knew it wouldn't be good enough for Matthias, who was sighing lightly and rubbing his forehead. "I find that hard to believe. I want the truth now. No more lies."

"That was the truth!" He lied again.

Matthias looked up, glaring now. "You think you can continue to lie to me? I ought to—"

Just then, there was footsteps in the doorway and they both turned to see Charles standing there. "Dinner has been prepared, young master," he said.

They both stared at him for a moment. Lukas was relieved and Matthias was a little annoyed. "Lukas, you will join me this time." He moved past the butler and went downstairs, Lukas reluctantly following behind.

The dinner, as always, looked fantastic. Lukas tried to sit down in the chair farthest from Matthias, but Matthias shook his head and beckoned him closer, forcing him to sit in the seat beside him.

"You must feel lucky that our conversation was cut short. I will find out why you have been distant. Maybe not today, but that's a promise. And you will continue with your lessons."

Lukas looked down at his food and refused to look up. It took Matthias a minute to realize what he was doing, but when he did, he reached over and lifted his chin. "That's no way to sit. Sit up."

Lukas' eyes widened when Matthias' hand was on his jaw and he quickly sat up straight, eyes no longer down on his plate.

"You lack basic etiquette, too."

Lukas almost glared at him, but managed to keep his annoyance to himself. "I am not wealthy. I'm a peasant in your eyes. Or did you forget?"

"How could I forget when you walk around with awful posture and can't pick up a book and read it yourself?"

Lukas tried to look away, but Matthias' grip on his face tightened and he couldn't move. "Let go," he said quietly, trying to push Matthias' hand away. After a moment, Matthias just sighed and released his hold on him.

It was almost instinctual for Lukas to reach up and touch where Matthias' hands had been, but he refrained and continued to eat his dinner, hoping that Matthias wouldn't do something like that again and he would be able to leave right after dinner.

This didn't happen. When he tried to leave, Matthias gripped his wrist and said, "Sit down."

He reluctantly did so, not seeing any other option. Matthias offered him some of the liquor from the bottle he was pouring from, but Lukas turned up his nose and shook his head, remembering his last experience.

"Suit yourself, then," Matthias said. He was silent, and Lukas wondered why he was being forced to stay in the dining hall when he could have been enjoying solitude upstairs in his room. He almost asked if he could leave, but suddenly Matthias said, "How is your arm?"

Lukas looked up at him, then down at the faded bruise on his arm. It was yellow now and didn't look very good, but it would be gone soon. It didn't even hurt anymore. He gave a small shrug and said, "Better."

Matthias nodded, but it was obvious that he wanted to say something. He just couldn't find the words.

"I was too rough," he managed at last, looking away at the wall. He sounded like he wanted to say more, but nothing came out, and Lukas could only stare at the man as his eyes wandered off, avoiding Lukas'.

Not once since he had been to the castle had Lukas seen Matthias look ashamed, guilty, or regretful. He hadn't expected him to bring this up.

"Are you trying to apologize?"

Matthias pursed his lips and gave one curt nod, clearly struggling with apologizing. Lukas would have rolled his eyes, but the other seemed so serious and he ended up tapping his shoulder and saying, "You need a lesson on apologizing, Matthias."

At that, Matthias' lips curled up into a faint smile and he nodded more eagerly, actually able to look over at Lukas again. "That I do."

Lukas scooted a bit closer and cleared his throat. "I know I didn't have etiquette or rhetoric, but I do know how to treat people well," he said. Matthias scoffed and shook his head at that.

"And you are saying that I don't?"

Lukas' eyes narrowed and he gave a small shrug. "You are bad at apologizing," he replied simply, not wanting to discuss any of Matthias' so called "morals".

"Alright. I suppose you can teach me," he said, sitting up and leaning in closer. "Although I will say that I never imagined a peasant would be teaching me anything."

Lukas did roll his eyes this time and said, "Every person you ever meet knows something that you don't, Matthias."

Matthias raised his eyebrows, opened his mouth to retaliate, but figured that Lukas was right.

"Now, look at me, Matthias."

He looked at Lukas, but he seemed dissatisfied and annoyed, and Matthias wondered what he could have been doing wrong. He was doing as he was told. He was definitely looking at Lukas.

"Look at my eyes."

 _Oh,_ he thought, moving his eyes a little up to look at Lukas'.

Looking into anyone's eyes had always made him uncomfortable, and he despised it. There was just something so strange about it. Like they knew something about him that he hadn't been willing to admit. They could see through him, things that he probably couldn't even see himself.

But now he was looking at Lukas, and it was different than anything he'd ever experienced before. There was no discomfort, no attempt look away or look down. There was nothing he had to hide.

Although the contact didn't make him uncomfortable, the realization did, and soon, he looked away. Lukas let out a sigh and said, "No. Look."

Matthias took a deep breath and finally looked at him again. His eyes were locked this time, and he didn't look away. "I am looking. Now?"

"Now you repeat after me. Ready?"

The man just gave a nod and waited, not especially pleased with having to follow orders, but it was too late for that now.

"Lukas, I apologize for hurting you."

Matthias sighed and said, "But did I really hurt you so badly that I need to—"

"Yes."

He paused, ceasing his argument as quickly as he had started it. "Lukas, I apologize for hurting you," he said, smiling faintly. He thought he was finished, but Lukas had more.

"I will not hurt you again."

"What?"

Lukas kept his eyes on his, although they grew curious and a little suspicious. "Repeat. I will not hurt you again. And when you say this, it is good to mean it."

Matthias gulped and looked away for a moment, then glanced at his eyes, quickly saying, "I will not hurt you again." He looked away immediately. Lukas didn't really pay attention to this, though. He was just glad that he'd said it at all.

"You did well."

He supposed he did. It was just words, after all. He stood up and walked towards the door. "Thank you, Lukas," he said quietly, offering him a genuine smile that almost made Lukas smile. It was such a nice smile. He wondered why the man didn't smile more with a smile like that.

"You're welcome, Matthias," he replied, also standing. Matthias gave a little nod, his smile fading, and left without another word, leaving Lukas alone in the dining hall.

* * *

 _"We must control them. Their practices are growing more and more harmful each year," the Duke said, looking to his wife first, then his council. They all nodded in agreement._

 _"Last month a man was burned alive. This is unacceptable behavior and I will help my husband put a stop to it as soon as possible," the Duchess said, taking a drink of wine. She held up her cup until Charles filled it, then continued to sip. "Children should not be around such an environment, either. It is not morally right."_

 _"I have to agree. I have three children myself and I cannot allow them to grow up with these heathens around. Especially Matthias now that he is old enough to visit the village on his own. They are a threat to every person in this branch of the kingdom."_

 _There were nods and murmurs. Not a single council member disagreed with these statements._

 _"These events are taking place in the villages, as well. It is no longer in the country," a man said, a worried look on his face._

 _Everyone murmured again, louder and louder until nobody could be heard. Finally, the Duke slammed his fist on the table and said, "Quiet!" They all turned to stare at him, then slowly regained their composure._

 _"We will have messengers go into the village next week. We will make a law against it. No more sacrifices. Hang it up on banners, yell it, whisper it in the alleys. Let them know. And if they violate this law, they are to be either imprisoned or killed, depending on the degree."_

 _They all agreed, and the council was dismissed._


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

* * *

Matthias woke up too early. The sun hadn't risen and his head was throbbing. He called for Charles, who came into the room with a bored expression, as if he knew what was bothering Matthias. "Medicine, young master?"

He nodded, rubbing his temples as if that would really make the headache go away. Matthias stood up, walking over to the fireplace and trying to get warm. When Charles came back with a small cup full of bitter medicine, he took it and swallowed it down, but he still worried.

"I can tell you are concerned, sir," Charles chimed in, holding out a cup of tea for the other. He took it gratefully, sipping on it to remove the taste of the medicine.

Of course he was concerned. It had finally begun to snow. He used to love snow, but that was many years ago. Nowadays, he hated it because it meant they were closer to spring. This winter was going to be either his best or worst, no in between.

"Charles," he began quietly, "I am concerned. You've always known me best. You know when things are going awry in my life."

"And they are."

"Of course. I had the strangest dream the other night," he began reluctantly, speaking of the dream in which he'd ran into Lukas in the garden and they'd actually been decent to each other. Like old friends. More than friends. Although he couldn't tell that to Charles.

"Perhaps it is a symptom."

"Ah. I hope so. It was such a real dream! I could feel…" he trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck worriedly. "Everything will still go as planned. Don't think otherwise."

Charles bowed, his face drooping a bit as he turned to go. "I know you're clever enough to make a good choice in this situation, my lord. If you'll excuse me, I will be helping the cooks in the kitchen."

* * *

"It's ridiculous! Him keeping that boy so close," the maid said, tying her hair up out of her face so that she could sweep the kitchen without her hair getting in her eyes. Charles didn't turn to her, but listened intently, saying nothing for a while as he stirred a pot of porridge. "It is not our business," he replied, passing her and grabbing the bowls.

The maid sighed quietly, giving Charles a look over as he poured the porridge into the bowls and put them onto a tray. "You aren't one for drama, are you?"

"Well, I wouldn't quite say that, but there is nothing dramatic going on here. Lukas is a prisoner here and that is final."

"So I guess you don't think—"

"No, I do not," he said sharply. With that, he turned on his heel and left to deliver breakfast.

* * *

Lukas took his bunny out to give him fresh air and exercise. He cornered him into a space with stones and let him hop around and nibble on pieces of cold grass. He wiped his nose, sitting down on a bench and looking at the dead flowers that looked like they were about to fall off the stems. He picked at one, grabbed the bulb, and squeezed some of the water out. When he opened his hand again, the petals all fell off in a matted clump.

"Are you having a good morning?"

He turned to see Matthias holding the rabbit and stroking its fur. Lukas stood up straighter and nodded. "I suppose. Are you?"

"Ah, it's a morning. I can tell that much," he joked half-heartedly, offering a smile. Lukas looked at the smile and stepped closer, wondering why he was so pleased.

"Oh," was all the other said. He took the bunny from him and set it back down. "He needs to exercise."

"He needs to be a strong rabbit?"

"Just in case," Lukas said, giving a very weak smile that Mathias returned with more enthusiasm. He sat down on the bench, gesturing for the other to sit beside him. Lukas sat down, a little closer to him than he normally would. He stared down at Matthias' thigh, noticing that it was touching his own. He was a warm man, too, especially outside in the cold.

"I have been thinking about you, Lukas."

The smaller froze up completely. "Oh," he said again. Matthias looked over at him, confused by how quiet he was being. His nose was red from the cold along with his cheeks. He'd have to remember to bring him extra blankets for when he slept.

"I was thinking I could have one of the servants deliver a letter from you to your brother," he told him. Lukas' face brightened for a moment and he could have hugged Matthias, but he kept his arms crossed and looked at the rabbit. "Yes. I'd like that," he told him.

Matthias thought he'd really done something good and felt a weight lift from his chest. "Once you write it, give it to me and I can let a servant take it."

Lukas looked up at him and was surprised to find him smiling again. Why was he so cheerful today? It confused him and he finally asked, "Why are you smiling so much today?"

"Well, I," he started, reaching a hand over to pat Lukas'. He was no good at showing feelings of affection, but he was trying. Lukas stared at his hand, then looked at him with a confused look. The look was enough for Matthias to pull his hand away, even though that wasn't what either wanted. "I want to… be more… reasonable," he muttered.

"Reasonable, Matthias?"

"Yes. Towards you, I mean. You're behaving better and I thought that I should, well—"

"Behave better, too?"

The man started to rebuttal, but stopped when Lukas raised his eyebrows. He was right. What he was trying to say was that he wanted to treat Lukas with kindness and care, especially after the dreams, which he'd been thinking about every single night since they'd occurred, sometimes too much and it became a problem worth kicking any servant out over.

"Yes, that's right. I was thinking that we skip the lesson and I could show you the stables. Or anything that would make you happy." He recalled Charles saying something about asking for what other people enjoyed instead of thinking about his own wants and desires. It seemed to be really paying off because Lukas didn't look angry.

"Well, I enjoy music."

"Do you make music?"

Lukas shrugged and shook his head simultaneously, mumbling, "I sing, but I'm not very good."

"I'm sure you're better than you think!"

The positivity in Matthias' voice surprised him yet again. The taller cleared his throat once he was caught and just nodded. "You should try to sing something. I can play something for you. Although I'm not an amazing musician."

"Isn't that ironic?"

"Isn't what?"

"You tell me not to put myself down and then you put yourself down."

Matthias just shook his head, gave another little smile, and stood up to go inside. "Follow me. I'll have Charles come back for the rabbit soon." Lukas nodded and walked behind him, looking his body over slowly while he wouldn't notice. When he turned, Lukas looked away quickly, almost too quickly and it made Matthias suspicious. "Are you alright?" He asked.

Lukas nodded quickly and choked out, "Yes," then continued into a room he'd never seen before that Matthias referred to as the "gallery". In the gallery, there were paintings hanging everywhere possible, musical instruments hung up, and various weapons. Lukas ran his fingers over a blade and flinched when Matthias called him over to another wall.

"Charles taught me how to play this," he said, taking an instrument off of the wall. "He knows how to play more instruments than anyone I know, but he is especially good with this."

The other reached out and plucked a string on the instrument. It sounded smooth and pure, like nothing he'd heard. "What is it?" He asked, plucking a few more thin strings. Matthias set it on a table and said, "It's a psaltery. Here, listen." He then played a short song while Lukas listened. The instrument made him sleepy. Matthias played the instrument well, not seeming to fumble even once.

After the song was over, he looked at Lukas expectantly. "So? Are you going to sing a song?"

Lukas looked up, rubbed his head, and finally nodded. "But I can't look at you when I sing. Face the other way." Not surprisingly, Matthias turned to face the wall of weapons, being the wary man that he was. Lukas sang quietly, just a song the children sang in the village. Before he could finish Matthias said, "You're a wonderful singer. You shouldn't think otherwise. If I play, will you sing along?"

"But… but I don't have the words, I—"

Matthias was already playing, listening carefully for Lukas. Although he was inwardly panicking, he began to sing. Not words, but singing nonetheless and it made Matthias smile to hear him, though he was still turned away and it wasn't visible.

The song continued for a minute until Matthias brought it to an end and Lukas cleared his throat. Mathias walked over to him, standing closer to him than he normally did. "You did a very good job," he told him. Lukas said, "You did, too, Matthias." They both stood there, the air suddenly becoming thick. Lukas gulped and his eyes flickered over to a painting for a distraction. "Oh, what is that?" He asked, pointing to the first painting he saw.

Matthias followed his finger to a large painting of a girl and a boy. He stared at it with a growing glare and looked away. Any good mood he had vanished in a split second when he looked at the portrait. Lukas regret his action immediately. "You don't have to answer."

It wasn't right to treat Lukas badly over the painting, Matthias knew that. He grit his teeth and looked over at the painting. He had never covered the paintings despite how it made him feel to see them. He thought it would be worse to hide them. Like they'd never existed at all. "Ah, well… that one is just two children the painter decided to paint, I suppose," he lied. The lie was easy to spot and Lukas, without thinking, said, "Is it really?"

It wasn't condescending or snarky, it was just a bland statement, but Matthias gave him a look of fury and said, "I don't want to talk about it."

Lukas continued to look at the painting, though. The girl and the boy were glancing at each other and clutching onto toys. The boy had a wooden horse and the girl had a doll that had long, golden hair, not unlike her own, and a pale face. The boy had light brown hair and blue eyes. They were both beautiful children, certainly wealthy ones, too.

"I like them. They look happy. I don't see happy paintings often," Lukas murmured.

"They do look happy," the other said quietly. Lukas reached out to touch the paint, right on the cheek of the girl where a blush was painted on. Matthias looked like he might pass out any moment and almost grabbed Lukas' wrist, but stopped himself, trusting the other to be careful.

Lukas almost looked away until he noticed something in the background. On the wall behind the boy there was a streaming banner that looked all too familiar. It was the same banner that was hanging in the main hall here at the castle. He didn't need to say a word for Matthias to realize it had been discovered. "That's enough. We're leaving now, Lukas," he snapped.

"Do you have children? Are they yours?"

"No I don't have—" He rubbed his eyes, getting more and more frustrated. "I do not have children. Those are my—"

Matthias gripped Lukas' arm and started to pull him out, not finishing his sentence. Lukas tried to pull away, but it was useless. Maybe Matthias was really that strong, maybe it was his fury that made him so, but he was forced out of the room and the door was slammed shut.

But Matthias was on the side that he was on, and that was both reassuring and frightening. "Matthias, who are those children?" The taller man looked down at the floor. He was admitting his defeat, it seemed. With a soft sigh, he said, "My brother and sister."

Lukas' eyes scanned the man's face and in it he could see the eyes of the boy, the vibrant golden hair of the girl, and a look of strained pain. They were his siblings, but they were no longer here and he came to the conclusion that they must have been dead. With a shaky breath, he said, "Did they pass?"

The others eyes sunk and his face grew neutral, like he was sleepy, but it became obvious that his state was a way of coping when he said, "We are not going to talk about it."

His voice was calm, like the calm before the storm. It sent a shiver down Lukas' spine and he took a step back. Matthias pursed his lips, but didn't lash out. How could he? As much as he wanted to, he saw the fear in Lukas' eyes and he couldn't let himself cause him harm. Instead, he grabbed his face in both hands. Lukas flinched, but didn't dare move or speak

They stayed that way for a moment. It was Matthias who moved forward, and when he did it was to tuck Lukas' hair behind his ear, an act that shocked the other beyond belief. He'd lost his mind, clearly. To Matthias, it was satisfying to be able to hold his face in his hands. It calmed him to have something delicate to hold, like a way to force himself to calm down before he did something out of line. It wasn't practical by any means.

"Matthias, are you alright?" He asked him. Matthias nodded, took a deep breath, and leaned in closely. Lukas thought he was going to kiss him and his heart sped up, pounding like it might burst at any moment. When he pressed his lips to his ear, Lukas closed his eyes and heard, "Leave me alone for the next few days, or else."

Lukas' eyes flew open when he threatened him, but he was dizzy from the closeness and leaned into him further. Matthias turned around reluctantly, giving him a final look, and walked up the stairs to his bedroom.

* * *

While Matthias was in bed that night, his mind was racing from the events of the day. It had been one of the best and worst days since Lukas had arrived. It was a joy to be around Lukas, but having to go over the topic of his family made him feel ill. The only part that was good about that part of the day was that he managed to stay somewhat calm around Lukas.

He regretted threatening him, but he had to. If Lukas came to him before he was ready to let him know the truth, he would completely break, and though it sounded as if he would hurt the other when that happened, he knew that not to be the case. If he broke, he would spiral inwards. Every tear he'd been holding in for the past decades would fall and he wouldn't be able to face Lukas again until he had to.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

* * *

It was days before Lukas saw or heard word from Matthias again. The weather had been gloomy, too. It matched the mood of everyone in the castle. Even Charles seemed gloomier whenever he brought Lukas his meals.

"How is Matthias?" He would ask Charles. The older man shook his head and said, "I cannot say, sir."

Then he would leave and that was that. Lukas accepted it early on, but on the fourth day he couldn't take the curiosity and he set out towards his room, building his courage with each step.

* * *

Each day felt like nothing to Matthias. It only felt like hours passing. When he woke up after the days had passed, he wasn't sure what the date was or if it was dawn or dusk. If he hadn't heard someone moving around outside in the hallway, he would have thought it was dawn, but the sun had just set and the night hadn't even begun.

The man stood up and walked out into the hall. Whoever passed by was gone now. It might have been Lukas, but Matthias doubted that. He'd probably frightened him away. But surely Charles hadn't let him go.

That's when he remembered the window downstairs. Matthias had completely forgotten about Lukas' words in his dream he'd had. There was something about a window downstairs being unlocked. Matthias didn't believe that dreams were prophetic, and he wanted to prove that belief by going back to his room, but something was compelling him to check, on the off chance that the dream had been correct.

The floor was freezing. Matthias wished he would have put his boots on. He walked past a few servants and into the biggest storage room in the castle. It was the only one with a window. A few of the servants gave him odd looks like he didn't belong, but the looks didn't linger. None of them were brave enough to stare.

The window had a curtain over it and no light was streaming in. Matthias stood up as high as he could, opened the curtains, and looked at the dusty glass. It hadn't been cleaned in years. Nobody opened the window for any reason anymore, although there was a handprint on the side. Well, almost a handprint. It was more like someone had slid their hand over the glass. There was no dust gathered over the new mark yet. This was in no way reassuring.

As for the moment of truth, Matthias wasn't sure. He checked the lock on the window. He didn't know anymore which way was locked and which way wasn't. He pursed his lips and tried to push on the glass. When the bottom popped out after a hard push, he slowly closed it again. He stepped away from the wall, not believing that the dream had been true.

First, he reached up and locked the window again, afraid that Lukas already knew about it. Second, he closed the curtains and turned to go. Lastly, he ran into one of his maids.

"Are you alright, sir?" She asked, stepping out of his way and walking over to the window. "Is there a problem with the window?"

Matthias shook his head. He was a little upset, but not enough to be angry at a maid who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He started to leave, mumbling under his breath as he slammed the door shut behind him. "Charles?" He yelled.

The man came down the hall with a tray of tea and offered a cup to Matthias, who refused. "Charles, check every window and door."

Charles eyes shifted up to his masters and he raised an eyebrow. It was almost as if he knew something. Matthias stepped closer with a dangerous look in his eyes. "The window in the storage room was unlocked. You wouldn't have something to do with this, would you?"

The butler looked at Matthias, but didn't budge. "I checked every window and every door, sir," he replied. Matthias looked him over again, but decided to trust the man. After all, he'd been with him for so long. Although his dream being accurate frightened him. It was such an odd coincidence. Had anything else been real?

"Ah. Back to work, then," he murmured quietly, walking past him and up the staircase again. What else had happened in the dream? He tried to remember other things besides touching Lukas. He recalled checking on his arm. And then, of course, he remembered holding him. But what had he said? What words were spoken in the dream?

While Matthias was thinking, he didn't notice that Lukas had stepped out of his room and he ran into him. Lukas winced and dropped a candle he was holding onto. Matthias stomped out a small flame that ignited on the carpet and pulled him up by his arm. "Are you alright?"

Lukas gulped and nodded slowly. He was sure he'd be yelled at, but Matthias was actually trying to give him a small smile. It took him off guard, but he was glad it wasn't an ugly, displeased frown. "Sorry, I was not trying—"

"No, it is absolutely fine! I mean, it is fine. It is very good to see you," he said. With hesitation, he extended a hand for Lukas to take. It was meant as a polite gesture, a symbol that everything was going to be alright, and Lukas clutched onto his hand. It wasn't a warm hand. It was cool. Not completely cold or painfully so, but it was significant.

Matthias caught Lukas' eye and didn't know why he was suddenly looking shifty. "Ah, I should eat with you tonight," he suggested. Lukas forced a little smile, then took his hand back.

"You look like you're better."

Matthias let out a quiet chuckle. He was trying not to be an ass. It wasn't quite that he was better, exactly. But he knew that he'd have to face Lukas sometime, and it might as well have been now. He turned on his heel and went downstairs. Lukas was following behind.

When they sat down at the table in the dining hall, there was a thick silence between the two. Neither knew how to start a decent conversation. Matthias traced the edge of his glass with his finger as he thought of something. "Lukas?"

The other perked up faintly, glancing over at the man. Matthias cleared his throat and poured himself a glass of wine, saying, "Do you believe in prophetic dreams?"

Lukas stared at him, then down at the wooden table. He rubbed a smudge on it from where his glass had been, although he was just trying to distract himself from the question. "Prophetic dreams," he repeated in a whisper. _Prophetic dreams?_ What kind of dreams could Matthias have been talking about?

"I think they might be real. I think they are normally associated with witchcraft."

Matthias was quiet when two servants came into the hall and set down plates of food in front of them. Once they disappeared again, he said, "Are you familiar with witchcraft?"

He reached out, grabbed a roll, and cut it open gently. He took a quick bite, then looked over at the wall. "I haven't tried to do magic in a while. Just when I was younger I would try to do spells and burn candles."

"Sacrifices and things of that sort?"

Lukas choked on his food and took a drink of water, pressing a napkin to his lips. "Sacrifices? Matthias, I would never sacrifice anything. Even if I wanted to, it hasn't been allowed in the villages for three-hundred years."

"Are you sure?" He asked. Matthias, for some reason, looked more anxious than usual and he was leaning forward in his chair as if he had something more to say. Lukas looked down at his lap, removed the napkin from it, and said, "I am absolutely sure that I have made no sacrifices, Matthias."

He wanted to follow up with, "Why do you ask?" But couldn't quite bring himself to say anything more. Maybe Matthias was opposed to witchcraft. Or he enjoyed it. It could have been either, although Lukas hoped it was the latter.

Matthias looked convinced and gave Lukas a small smile. "You are saying, then, that you do believe in prophetic dreams?"

The other nodded, figuring that it could possibly be and he didn't want to argue with Matthias. "Why are you asking me about them?"

The man instantly paled and turned away, rubbing his neck like he was hiding a terrible secret. When he turned to face Lukas, he inhaled deeply and began to describe the dream he'd had with Lukas.

"I was in a garden. I saw you, actually." When Lukas was brought up, Matthias had to look at his plate. "I talked to you. I believe I apologized for hurting your arm, if you recall that accident. You were… happy."

Perhaps Matthias was being too vague about the dream, but it would have been worse to tell everything that he remembered from it. He didn't want to scare Lukas, but he felt like he needed to let the dream out to someone. Lukas gave him a peculiar look. The dream sounded all too familiar. Without thinking, he blurted out, "Did anything else happen?"

Matthias froze. He was on the defense immediately, shooting Lukas a harsh glare and scooting his chair further back. "I told you what I remember," he said bitterly. Lukas' eyes widened and he rested his chin on his palm, looking over at the door that he wished he was exiting through.

They picked at their food for a few minutes while the fire in the fireplace crackled loudly behind Matthias. Lukas would have liked the silence to end, but he was never the best with words, and didn't know what to say. He rubbed his jaw, looked at the wall, and sighed.

"Have you had any dreams lately?" Matthias asked with a slightly sarcastic tone. Lukas stabbed a piece of pork with his knife and shrugged slightly, not wanting to tell the man about the dreams he'd had of him.

Matthias was upset that he received no answer, and in a fit, he stood up and sat down right next to Lukas. "I am trying to be polite!" He said. "I know I am nowhere near as good as you are at being a _saint,_ but I would like you to answer my question."

"My dreams are _not_ your business," Lukas snapped, leaning away from Matthias, who was only leaning in. "They are personal."

"Well I am trying to understand… something!"

Lukas looked over at him. He didn't know what that meant. "Something? What something?" He questioned.

Matthias looked uncomfortable again, but he didn't move away. His eyes fell to the wooden table, he paused, then said, "In one of my dreams, you told me that the window in the servant's room was unlocked. You were sorry, I think."

Lukas' blood ran cold and he felt like he was going to be sick, as he had also dreamt that he'd told Matthias about the window. That dream had been a good one, but it wasn't one he wanted to share with Matthias.

"What's your point?"

The man leaned back in the chair, but still looked at Lukas. "I checked and the window was unlocked."

"Coincidence."

"Not a coincidence," Matthias argued. "I have the windows and doors checked frequently. And the dream was so real. I think it was prophetic."

"Do you know what that entails?"

"That the dream comes true. Of course I know! It has come true so far."

Lukas felt his face heat up and he was forced to look away again, afraid of how red he might look. If Matthias was suggesting that the dream was prophetic, and they had truly shared a dream, then the dream could come true, and in the end of the dream, he had ended up in Matthias' arms. The thought made him shiver, and he wasn't sure if it was in delight or annoyance.

"What happens at the end of the dream?" He asked the man hesitantly. Lukas' lips parted for a moment, but closed soon when he had to gulp. Matthias was silent, but Lukas could still feel his eyes on him, heavy as ever and incredibly focused.

"You can tell me what happens. You've had it, haven't you? I can see it."

Lukas shifted uncomfortably, leaned his head on his fist, and tried to stop shivering. He shook his head at Matthias, refusing to look at him or admit that he'd dreamt something like that.

Matthias wasn't pleased. He put a hand on Lukas' shoulder turned him, and leaned in far too close for Lukas' taste. He held his breath as he looked hesitantly up at his eyes. To his surprise, the man was smiling faintly. He was amused. "Tell me how it ended."

Now, with Matthias so close and talking about such a sensitive subject, Lukas thought he might be so embarrassed that his entire body blushed red. He swallowed thickly, shook his head, and moved his eyes downward.

"Lukas, I demand that you tell me. Now. Look at me and tell me how it ended."

Matthias' voice was suddenly harsh, and Lukas narrowed his eyes as he thought it over. There was no lying to him. There was no tricking him into thinking it was something different. His reactions were giving him away.

"You… were…"

"I was…?"

"You were… holding me. And…"

"And?"

Lukas suddenly buried his face into his hands and shook his head again, not wanting to continue. Matthias put a hand on his back, leaned in, and said, "Lukas," softly.

When he looked up again after a short moment, Matthias pressed his lips to his forehead. Lukas froze, but didn't move away yet. He traced the kissed area with his fingertips, stared at the man, and said, "You kissed me."

"I did."

Lukas took a deep breath, stood up so forcefully that he nearly knocked his chair over, and bolted towards the door. Matthias watched with wide eyes, surprised at the sudden action. He didn't follow him, but could hear his shoes as they clicked up the stairs.


End file.
